An atmospheric river storm that dumped record rain in Northern California will bring decidedly less precipitation to Southern California.
On Saturday, Los Angeles and Ventura counties could see anywhere from a tenth to a third of an inch of rain. San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties could see up to an inch in some areas.
A second round of rain expected to begin Sunday could be “a little stronger than the first but still likely in the ‘beneficial rain’ category,” the National Weather Service said in its latest L.A. forecast. Wet conditions could last to Wednesday.
Chances are low of flooding or any other significant issues in Southern California, forecasters said, though roads could become slick and snarl traffic.
Concern about the upcoming rainy season has been growing among residents living on and near the Portuguese Bend landslide area in Rancho Palos Verdes, because increased rainfall leads to more groundwater — which is the impetus for the ongoing devastating land movement.
But city officials are hopeful that extensive “winterization efforts,” which include improving drainage, filling in cracks and lining canyon walls, can help minimize the effect of any new rain. Many of those projects have been completed, but some remain underway. The work aims “to best prepare ourselves for the wet weather season ahead,” said David Copp, the city’s deputy public works director.
Parts of the landslide have seen recent slowing, and, in some areas, even complete stabilization, the city has reported, but additional rain is always a concern for this unstable region.
In Northern California, the storm brought several feet of snow in the Sierra as well as flooding and the threat of mudslides.