More Rain in Forecast

A cold Pacific storm bore down on the Southland Wednesday morning, promising hours of steady rain followed by showers, along with dangerously slick roads, gusty winds, chilly temperatures and, perhaps, snow at higher elevations.

The storm has the potential to generate between a half-inch and one inch of rain across the region, with up to two inches possible on south- and southwest-facing mountain slopes, the National Weather Service said in an advisory.

The early-season storm, which originated in the Gulf of Alaska, was wending its way south this morning over both land and water, tapping "into a good source of moisture" accumulated to the west and southwest, said Oxnard-based NWS meteorologist Rich Thompson.

"The fast-moving cold front is expected to bring a three- to six-hour period of steady rainfall, with brief heavy rain possible,'' according to the NWS advisory. Thompson added that in Los Angeles County, the steady rainfall was likely to begin at about 11 a.m. and stretch into the afternoon.

But even once the cold front passes, the "cool and unsettled weather
pattern" behind it will generate scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms, with some showers involving "brief, heavy rainfall" accompanied by gusty winds, according to the advisory. Thompson said the scattered showers would occur through Thursday afternoon.

In addition to rain, there could be some early-season snowfall across higher mountain elevations Wednesday night into Thursday morning, according to the NWS.

The NWS warned hikers not to get caught off-guard by the storm.

"Be prepared for cold weather and light snow accumulation above 7,000
feet," the advisory said.

NWS meteorologists said many areas of Southern California would experience temperatures 15 to 30 degrees below normal Wednesday while mountain and desert areas will be buffeted by south-to-southwest winds gusting up to 50 miles per hour.

The NWS issued a wind advisory, indicating that winds of 35 mph or greater are expected, from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. for the Antelope Valley and for the San Gabriel mountains in both Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Meteorologists forecast southwest winds of 25-35 mph, gusting to 50 mph.

"The strongest gusts will occur in the hills above the Interstate 5 Corridor,'' an NWS advisory said in a reference to the Grapevine area, urging motorists planning to drive through mountain locales Wednesday and Thursday to first determine likely conditions.

The NWS also warned motorists to guard against strong crosswinds, especially while driving high-profile vehicles, and wet roads.

"Motorists should be alert for especially slippery roads due to accumulated oil on the asphalt, with many locations not seeing measurable rainfall since last spring," an advisory said.

Though unseasonably cold, Wednesday's temperatures will be relatively mild, mostly in the mid-60s.

The NWS forecast highs of 55 on Mount Wilson; 64 in Newhall, Palmdale and Lancaster; 65 in Anaheim and at LAX; 66 in Newport Beach, Pasadena, San Gabriel and Burbank; and 67 in Avalon, Long Beach, Woodland Hills and downtown L.A.

Amid showers and cloudy skies, Thursday's temperatures will be about the same as Wednesday's. But this week's taste of winter will be short-lived, with sunny weather returning to the region Friday, when a warming trend will get under way. By Saturday, temperature highs will be up to 15 degrees higher than Wednesday's in some communities.

—City News Service

                                                                                                           Here is the forecast for Sherman Oaks from the National Weather Service:

Wednesday: Rain. A high temperature near 66. South-southeast winds of about 15 mph.

Wednesday night: A 50 percent chance of showers, mainly before 11 p.m. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low temperature of about 55. Southwest winds about 10 mph becoming north-northwest.

Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly before 11 a.m. Mostly sunny, with a high temperature near 66. Northwest winds of between 10 mph and 15 mph.

Thursday night: Partly cloudy, with a low temperature of about 53. Northwest winds about 15 mph.

Friday: Sunny, with a high temperature near 71. North winds about 10 mph, becoming east-southeast.