SoCal Weather Whiplash: Heavy Rain And Chance Of Hail, Waterspouts, And Thunder Follow Heat Wave – Patch

SoCal Weather Whiplash: Heavy Rain And Chance Of Hail, Waterspouts, And Thunder Follow Heat Wave  Patch

Forecasters warn of flooding, debris flows and hazardous driving conditions as a storm moves into the region following days of heat. After days of unseasonably hot temperatures and powerful Santa Ana winds, Southern California is bracing for a dramatic weather shift with cooler temperatures, widespread rain, thunderstorms and the potential for flooding and debris flows this week. The approaching storm could bring up to 3 inches of rain to the mountains and foothills, with the heaviest precipitation expected Wednesday night into Thursday morning, according to the National Weather Service. Forecasters said the greatest danger includes localized flooding, debris flows near recent wildfire burn scars, hazardous driving conditions and coastal erosion.

The approaching rain also comes as crews work to stabilize a damaged hillside beneath Pacific Coast Highway near Laguna Beach. Carol Ciliberti, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Los Angeles/Oxnard, said much of the region can expect between half an inch and 1.5 inches of rain, with higher totals in the mountains and foothills. "There's going to be quite a bit from southern Santa Barbara County across Ventura County and most of LA County," Ciliberti told Patch. Ciliberti said just over an inch of rain is expected at Los Angeles International Airport, about 1 inch in Oxnard and 1.3 inches in Santa Barbara. South-facing mountains and foothills could