Spring may have sprung, but Southern California still won’t get a full departure this week from the wintry, wet weather 2023 has brought so far.
A storm system from the Bay Area continued on Wednesday to slide south, said Todd Hall, a National Weather Service meteorologist, and was expected on Thursday to bring showers and perhaps some hail, thunderstorms, tornadoes and waterspouts.
“The storm system will continue to dig south through Thursday morning,” the meteorologist said.
As of Wednesday afternoon, most of Los Angeles County had received less than one inch of rain since the storm arrived Tuesday night, Hall said, with downtown L.A. collecting 0.7 of an inch and the San Fernando Valley less than half of that. Along the coast, from Santa Monica to Malibu, up to 1.78 inches had fallen.
The county was forecast get an additional inch or less into early Thursday.
“Thunderstorms are more likely to happen in Orange County and the western part of the Inland Empire (and in) West Covina and Pomona — in the gap between the LA Basin and the Inland Empire,” Gonsalves said.
On Thursday, much of Orange County is likely to get three-quarters of an inch of rain or less, with more in communities closer to the Santa Ana Mountains. As of Wednesday afternoon, from the county’s coast to inland cities such as Fullerton and Irvine, most places were hovering around half an inch received.
After Thursday’s storm rolls out, a few dry days are expected.
But the current weather patterns in the region favor lower temperatures and precipitation, said Weather Service meteorologist Philip Gonsalves — and it may be another month before Southern California is fully back to its sunny, dry self.
“I think we stay in this general wet pattern for the foreseeable future,” he said. “As we start approaching May, chances for precipitation decrease significantly.”
Umbrellas, ponchos and rain boots were in order as these two make their way along N. Lacy Street in Santa Ana on Wednesday morning, March 29, 2023, as another storm hits Orange County and Southern California bringing rain, wind, and snow to the higher elevations. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A woman walking in the rain passes by a mural painted on the side of a building along N. Bush Street in Santa Ana on Wednesday morning, March 29, 2023, as another storm hits Orange County and Southern California bringing rain, wind, and snow to the higher elevations. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A vehicle traveling along E. 4th Street in downtown Santa Ana kicks up water as it goes through a large puddle on Wednesday morning, March 29, 2023. Another storm hit Orange County and Southern California on Wednesday, bringing rain, wind, and snow to the higher elevations. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Two bus riders with umbrellas in hand, wait at a bus stop on Tustin Avenue in Santa Ana on Wednesday morning, March 29, 2023, as another storm hits Orange County and Southern California bringing rain, wind, and snow to the higher elevations. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Vehicles traveling eastbound on the 22 freeway in Orange kick up water on Wednesday morning, March 29, 2023, as another storm hits Orange County and Southern California bringing rain, wind, and snow to the higher elevations. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A woman waits in the rain to cross E. 4th Street at the intersection of N. Bush Street in Santa Ana on Wednesday morning, March 29, 2023, as another storm hits Orange County and Southern California bringing rain, wind, and snow to the higher elevations. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Vehicles traveling westbound on the 22 freeway in Orange kick up water on Wednesday morning, March 29, 2023, as another storm hits Orange County and Southern California bringing rain, wind, and snow to the higher elevations. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
With an umbrella in hand to stay dry, a woman walks in the rain along N. Spurgeon Street in Santa Ana on Wednesday morning, March 29, 2023, as another storm hits Orange County and Southern California bringing rain, wind, and snow to the higher elevations. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A recycler peddles in the rain along Los Angeles Ave. in Simi Valley early Wednesday, March 29, 2023. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
A man peddles in the rain in a Trader Joe’s parking lot in Simi Valley early Wednesday, March 29, 2023. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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