LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Santa Ana winds continued gusting across parts of the Southland Tuesday, felling some trees at their rain-soaked roots, while another bout of rain took aim at the region and set the stage for a wet New Year’s Day and Rose Parade.
Wind advisories issued by the National Weather Service that were initially expected to expire Monday night were instead extended until 3 p.m. Tuesday for areas including the Santa Clarita and San Fernando valleys, Malibu, Calabasas and Santa Monica and San Gabriel Mountains.
Forecasters said many of those areas could see winds of 20 to 35 mph, gusting as high as 55 mph in particularly wind-prone areas.
The winds are expected to die down Tuesday afternoon, then give way to rainy conditions starting Wednesday.
“A return to wet weather is expected Wednesday as moisture from off the coast of Mexico gets pulled up into southern California,” said the NWS. “Onset time is still in question, but no later than Wednesday evening. Some light rain is possible as early as Wednesday morning, especially far western areas as the hi res models show the initial trajectory farther to the west over the Channel Islands and Central Coast, but then shifting east during the afternoon and evening.”
Forecasters said “periods of light to moderate rain” are anticipated through Saturday, with the heaviest rain expected Wednesday night into New Year’s Day on Thursday.
Forecasters said roughly 1 to 3 inches of rain is possible by week’s end in coastal and valley areas, with 2 to 5 inches possible in the mountains.
“Precipitable waters rise quickly Wednesday night, rising to between 1.25 and 1.5 inches through New Years Day,” according to the NWS. “This will be the period of heaviest rainfall with this storm, but likely still at least 50% lighter than the last event.”
Given last week’s storms that saturated the ground in many areas, authorities again warned of possible mud and debris flows from the upcoming rain.
Forecasters said there is “a near 100% chance” of rain falling on the Rose Parade — and on people camping out for the parade on Wednesday night. Rain has not fallen on the Rose Parade 2006. The floral procession has traditionally managed to avoid precipitation, with rain dampening the event less than a dozen times in its previous 136 years.
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