A slow-moving low-pressure system that will stay over the Southwest and deliver showers through the start of the week is finally bringing some rain to Southern California after weeks of dry weather that helped spread many deadly wildfires in the Los Angeles area.
Additionally, the system may bring the first detectable rainfall to Las Vegas since July. It may be the first rainy season in Phoenix since August.
In central and southern California, Sunday’s rainy weather began with showers and was predicted to intensify into a downpour in the afternoon. Overnight, the most intense rain is predicted, which will progressively lessen until it stops on Monday afternoon.
As of 11 a.m. PT, the Los Angeles metro region has received more than 0.1 inches of rain, with some foothills reporting 0.25 to 0.5 inches.
Social media videos on Sunday showed vehicles in the Hollywood Hills navigating through a rain. While the guy filming celebrated, another camera showed rain falling over La Mesa, California.
The majority of the snow and rain showers will continue eastward as the system enters Arizona on Monday. Through Tuesday, there will be sporadic rain showers throughout Arizona and Nevada.
Any stronger showers that fall over the recent burn scars might cause flash flooding, debris flows, and mudslides, even though the majority of this rainfall will be helpful for the extremely dry Southwest.
Areas with burn scars of up to 0.5 to 1.5 inches from the Eaton, Hughes, and Palisades fires are under flood warning. Two inches can’t be ruled out locally.
Since October 1, Los Angeles has received just 0.03 inches of precipitation, making 2017 the driest season yet and falling 5 inches short of average.
Winter weather alerts were in effect for portions of California, Arizona, and Nevada on Sunday afternoon, and there was also some snow and rain falling in Southern California and Nevada.
Through Monday, the region will likely have between 2 and 10 inches of snowfall, with some locations, such as the Southern California ranges, seeing up to 18 inches. Additionally, there will be a lot of wind, with gusts reaching 50 mph, making travel dangerous.
Lake effect snow warnings are still in force until Monday for northern New York, where the strongest bands are expected to bring between 9 and 18 inches of snow.
Wind alerts with gusts of up to 40–60 mph will be in force through Monday over the Great Lakes region, encompassing the cities of Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit, Buffalo, and Rochester, and extending from Illinois to New York.