Southern California is finally receiving some rain after weeks of dry weather that fueled the development of deadly and historic wildfires in the Los Angeles area.
It was anticipated that a slow-moving low-pressure system would stay over the Southwest, deliver showers during the early workweek, and aid in putting a stop to the ongoing wildfires in Southern California as well as one of the driest weather periods in the region’s history.
Since October 1, Los Angeles has received just 0.03 inches of rain, which is 5 inches less than usual, making 2017 the driest season yet. Los Angeles International Airport recorded an additional 0.34 inches by morning, and a flood watch was in place for a large portion of the city through Monday afternoon.
Burn scars from previous and current fires are regions of worry, according to the National Weather Service, since the rain may cause flash flooding, debris flows, mud flows, and mudslides. Forecasters warned that fire zones in the Los Angeles area might receive up to 1.5 to 2 inches of rain.
On Sunday afternoon, the Los Angeles Fire Department reported that a small debris flow in the Palisades Fire burn area’s Santa Ynez Canyon, which borders the coast, was heading toward the ocean.
According to state fire officials, all save the Border 2 Fire showed virtually complete containment on Sunday, although deadly wildfires in Southern California, including the Palisades, Eaton, Hughes, and Border 2 fires, were still officially burning.
Authorities blocked Angeles National Forest, which makes up a large portion of the San Gabriel Mountains, until at least Saturday as a fire precaution. On Sunday, state fire officials reported that the Eaton and Hughes fires, two of the January flames that raged in Angeles National Forest parks, were 98% and 95% contained, respectively.
The rain that fell on Sunday in central and southern California began as showers and grew stronger throughout the afternoon.
Social media videos showed vehicles in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles driving through a deluge. As the individual filming the video applauded, another video captured rain falling near La Mesa, California, in San Diego County.
Overnight, the area is predicted to get the most intense rainfall, which will progressively lessen until it ceases on Monday afternoon.
Only 0.02 inches of rain fell on Sunday afternoon, but more is expected overnight as San Diego continues to have the driest start to a water year in its recorded history. The next-driest start to a water year, which starts on October 1st, was in 1963, according to weather service meteorologist Chandler Price.
According to National Weather Service meteorologist John Adair, the system may bring the first detectable rainfall to Las Vegas since July on Monday.
According to the Las Vegas weather service office, if the rain continues until then, the city would have experienced 197 days without detectable precipitation, falling short of the record of 240 days in a row with no rain gauge readings, set on December 16, 2020.
After a run of dry weather that started in August, Phoenix was still waiting for rain on Sunday.
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.
Winter weather alerts in Southwest, Midwest and Great Lakes region
Parts of Arizona, Nevada, and California are under a winter weather alert.
Through Monday, the Southern California mountains are expected to receive between 2 and 10 inches of snow, with some areas possibly receiving up to 18 inches. Additionally, there will be a lot of wind, with gusts reaching 50 mph, making travel dangerous.
According to meteorological service data, Mount Baldy in the San Gabriel Mountains received more than half a foot of snow on Sunday. It crosses the line separating San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties.
According to the weather service, four inches of snow accumulated in Snow Valley in the San Bernardino Mountains and two inches accumulated in Wrightwood, which is also in the San Gabriels. In the San Bernardinos, Big Bear Mountain Resort recorded 4 inches of new snow.
Mount Baldy, Wrightwood, and the Angeles Crest Highway in the eastern San Gabriels are under a 24-hour National Weather Service winter storm warning Sunday afternoon. The warning calls for up to 14 inches of snow, gusts of up to 35 mph, and an overnight snow level drop of up to 3,000 feet.
From 5 a.m. Monday local time to midnight, a winter weather advisory will be in force in Arizona’s Yavapai County Mountains. The weather service predicts 1 to 3 inches of snow, and up to 6 inches at elevations above 6,000 feet.
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.