Here's When and Where to Expect Rain and Snow When a Cold Storm Arrives in SoCal
Rain will begin Thursday night in Southern California and continue into the overnight
By Shanna Mendiola and Jonathan Lloyd ••
NBCUniversal, Inc.
SoCal will see rain for the first time in three weeks. Shanna Mendiola has the forecast for Thursday Jan. 16, 2020.
What to Know
A storm out of the Gulf of Alaska will arrive in SoCal by Thursday evening
Expect rain and snow late Thursday and into early Friday morning
Temperatures will drop as the winter storm moves through
A cold fast-moving storm out of the Gulf of Alaska will sweep through Southern California Thursday evening, bringing rain for the first time this year, snow and powerful winds.
There's plenty of time to get out the rain coat and umbrella. The storm won't shift into the region until late Thursday before continuing to drop rain and snow overnight.
"This is going to be an evening thing," said NBC4 forecaster Shanna Mendiola. "We'll see this front sweep through late in the evening. Overnight, we'll definitely feel the rain. It's not going to be heavy, but it will wet those roads."
It will be the first time in about three weeks that SoCal has seen measurable rain.
With three to five hours of precipitation in the forecast, between a quarter-inch and three quarter of an inch of rain are expected along the Los Angeles County coast and in the county's valleys. Between three-quarters and an inch-and-a-half are expected in the mountains and foothills.
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Caltrans asked drivers to use extra caution in mountain areas. Here is a view of snow covered roads in Mount Baldy on Wednesday. Nov. 20, 2019.
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A view of Big Bear Mountain Resort in March 2019.
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AP
Visitors play in the snow Friday, Feb. 22, 2019, in Wrightwood, Calif. A winter storm swept through the Southwest and brought a rare snowfall to the Las Vegas Strip and the mountains above Malibu in California. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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A visitor sits on a park bench under a snow-covered landscape Friday, Feb. 22, 2019, in Wrightwood, Calif. A winter storm swept through the Southwest and brought a rare snowfall to the Las Vegas Strip and the mountains above Malibu in California. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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The view from Long Beach Harbor to Mount Baldy in February 2019.
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A view of Lake Arrowhead in February 2019.
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Lake Arrowhead after another fresh coat of snow.
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Snow cover the Acton area north of Los Angeles Thursday Feb. 21, 2019.
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Snow cover the Acton area north of Los Angeles Thursday Feb. 21, 2019.
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Snow in Idyllwild.
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Michael Monsivais, left, makes a snow man with the help of his girlfriend Torrie Martinez at Fort Tejon State Historic Park, Monday, Feb. 11, 2019, in Lebec, Calif. A series of winter storms socked the U.S west with unusual snow also falling in Hawaii and parts of Southern California. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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Mt. Baldy Fire Department
A snowy lane on Mt. Baldy following a February snowfall.
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Jared Meyer
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A view of snow in the mountains as seen looking north from La Habra Jan. 13, 2019.
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A view of an icy Big Bear Lake on Jan. 1, 2019.
Shaeba Mathew
A view of an icy Big Bear Lake on Jan. 1, 2019.
Big Bear Mountain Resort
Big Bear Mountain Resort is pictured at sunrise Friday Nov. 30, 2018 after a day of snowfall in Southern California's mountains.
NBC 7 San Diego
Big Bear Mountain Resort is pictured at sunrise Friday Nov. 30, 2018 after a day of snowfall in Southern California's mountains.
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NBC4's Tony Shin captured this fresh coast of snow in Big Bear Sunday Feb. 26, 2017.
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A dusting of snow in the mountains, as seen from the Sand Canyon area Monday Jan. 23, 2017.
Kathy
Sugarloaf Snow Day Sugarloaf, Big Bear City
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A machine shovels snow at the Snow Valley Mountain Resort in the San Bernardino Mountain community of Running Springs on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017.
Bob Torrez/Snow Valley
People are spotted skiing down a hill at the Snow Valley Mountain Resort in the San Bernardino Mountain community of Running Springs on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017.
Johnny Blue
Little French bulldog Dinho exploring for his first time in snow at Big Bear.
Johnny Blue
A trail leading to Snow Summit in Big Bear
KNBC-TV
A fresh coating of snow Monday Nov. 21, 2016 in Big Bear.
Rod Hewitt
A view of snowcapped mountains from the high desert north of Los Angeles.
A fresh coating of snow Monday Nov. 21, 2016 in Big Bear.
A Taylor Peck
A blanket of snow covers Lake Arrowhead on March 30, 2016.
W Taylor Peck
A tree is covered in snow on March 30, 2016 after a line of storms blew through Southern California, dumping a lot of fresh powder on the mountains.
W Taylor Peck
Residents living in the area say it doesn't snow a lot this late in the year.
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A serene image after a storm hits Southern California on March 29, 2016, leaving areas like Lake Arrowhead and Wrightwood with snow.
Toni Guinyard, KNBC-TV
Snow caps the mountains north of Los Angeles after an early March 2016 storm.
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Snow in the Southern California mountains after an early March 2016 storm.
dj
Snow blanketed Forest Falls after a March 2016 storm.
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A light coating of snow on the San Gabriel Mountains in January 2016.
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Lynne Tucker sent this photo of snow dotting the mountains near Palm Springs.
James Win
James Win sent in this photo of a winter wonderland in Lake Arrowhead on January 7, 2016.
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Pat Durkin sent a pano view of snow-capped mountains.
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Debbie Callin sent us this image of snow in the mountains as seen from Banning Jan. 6, 2016.
Rick Flanders
Rick Flanders provided this image of snow in Idyllwild on Jan. 6, 2016.
KNBC-TV
Snow Summit snow in January 2016.
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View from Fontana, Jan. 8, 2015.
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A nice dusting of snow in Wrightwood Nov. 21, 2019.
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Wrightwood is looking like a winter wonderland Nov. 21, 2019.
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Dakota Snider/ Visit Mammoth
After two more feet of snow fell over the weekend, Mammoth Mountain was completely open top-to-bottom, with the most skiable acres currently open in the country, on Monday, Dec. 9, 2019.
Dakota Snider/ Visit Mammoth
After two more feet of snow fell over the weekend, Mammoth Mountain was completely open top-to-bottom, with the most skiable acres currently open in the country, on Monday, Dec. 9, 2019.
Dakota Snider/ Visit Mammoth
After two more feet of snow fell over the weekend, Mammoth Mountain was completely open top-to-bottom, with the most skiable acres currently open in the country, on Monday, Dec. 9, 2019.
Dakota Snider/ Visit Mammoth
After two more feet of snow fell over the weekend, Mammoth Mountain was completely open top-to-bottom, with the most skiable acres currently open in the country, on Monday, Dec. 9, 2019.
Dakota Snider/ Visit Mammoth
After two more feet of snow fell over the weekend, Mammoth Mountain was completely open top-to-bottom, with the most skiable acres currently open in the country, on Monday, Dec. 9, 2019.
Dakota Snider/ Visit Mammoth
After two more feet of snow fell over the weekend, Mammoth Mountain was completely open top-to-bottom, with the most skiable acres currently open in the country, on Monday, Dec. 9, 2019.
After two more feet of snow fell over the weekend, Mammoth Mountain was completely open top-to-bottom, with the most skiable acres currently open in the country, on Monday, Dec. 9, 2019.
Dakota Snider/ Visit Mammoth
After two more feet of snow fell over the weekend, Mammoth Mountain was completely open top-to-bottom, with the most skiable acres currently open in the country, on Monday, Dec. 9, 2019.
Similar conditions are expected in Orange County Thursday, with a quarter inch of rain near the coast starting late in the day, and between a half-inch and an inch in the Santa Ana Mountains.
In the San Gabriel Mountains, the snow level is expected to fall to 3,500 feet. Between 2 and 4 inches of snow are expected between 4,500 and 5,500 feet, and between 4 and 8 inches are expected above 5,500 feet amid south to west winds of between 30 and 50 miles per hour.
Mountain road closures are possible.
Until then, expect sunny skies in Los Angeles County and highs of 56 degrees on Mount Wilson, 57 in Palmdale, 63 at LAX, 64 in Saugus, Long Beach and Burbank and 66 in downtown LA,, Pasadena and San Gabriel. Cooler temperatures will arrive with Thursday's rain.
