News Update:As Another Storm Comes, Southern California Is Under A Flood Watch.
On Monday, February 5, 2024, Kathy O’Keefe, a crossing guard at Orangethorpe Elementary School in Fullerton, braves the rain to wait for students to finish their school day. In her two years at the job, she claimed not to have seen this much rain. “Yet the children adore it.” (Image courtesy of Orange County Register/SCNG/Mindy Schauer)
Forecasters predict that a winter storm that is expected to arrive in Los Angeles County by Sunday night, February 18, may potentially cause thunderstorms, flooding, and wind gusts throughout Southern California until the middle of the following week.
For the majority of the region, a flood watch is in effect through Tuesday night, while higher altitudes are under a winter weather advisory. There will be high waves around the coast.
According to National Weather Service predictions, parts of Los Angeles County, including Pasadena and the San Fernando Valley, could experience about three inches of rain between Sunday night and Wednesday. Less than two inches was visible to others in the southern part of the county.
According to NWS meteorologist David Gomberg, there is a slim chance that the storm system may begin in Los Angeles County on Saturday night and bring with it light rain.
During a presentation on Saturday afternoon, Gomberg stated, “It won’t take much rain to cause significant problems over the next few days because of that rainfall last week.”
The county of Los Angeles was expected to receive the most rainfall. Peak rainfall rates between half an inch and an inch per hour are expected on Monday and Tuesday nights, according to Gomberg. It was predicted to start raining moderately on Sunday night.
This is a more convective system, which essentially indicates that there may be some intense rainfall rates, according to Gomberg. “Consider it as rainfall with greater intensity and shorter duration.”
Forecasters indicated that there was a 10% to 20% probability of isolated thunderstorms from Sunday night through Tuesday.