Massive storm to lash Southern California with three days of rain and snow
A massive storm will hit Southern California with three days of rain and snow Tuesday and Wednesday, and is expected to bring dangerous winds and flooding as high as 40 miles per hour in some areas, according to the National Weather Service. The storm is the latest in a string of powerful storms that have pummeled the state the past week.
The storm is hitting so hard, the NWS warns, that it could cause power outages to some areas, some of which could lead to more dangerous situations. The agency is advising residents in the southern part of California to take precautions and prepare for the potential threat.
Here are five things you need to know about the approaching storm.
1. The storm is arriving early
The storm will hit Thursday, Wednesday and Tuesday, according to the NWS. The first storm of the winter storm system will develop near the coast. A second system is forecast to impact the state Saturday.
2. This is not a winter storm
This is not a winter storm, the weather service said.
The winter storm, with its freezing rain and snow that has blanketed much of the state since Sunday, does not meet the definition of a winter storm.
Weather forecasters who typically predict winter storm systems use the term “winter storm,” which is defined as rain or snow with temperatures below 15 degrees.
3. It gets cold
The storm will get cold, with rain or snow predicted through the night, according to the weather service.
The rain and snow is expected to impact Southern California hardest beginning Wednesday, the weather service said. It could fall as heavy as 3 inches per hour, according to the forecast, and could continue through the night.
4. It could dump 3 inches of rain
Flooding is expected, according to the weather service.
Some areas could experience 1 to 2 feet of rain, with a few areas getting 4 to 5 inches of rain.
In the Sacramento area, for example, the forecast calls for 1 to 2 feet of rain, while in San Bernardino, for example, the forecast calls for up to 3 feet of rain.
5. The storm is dangerous
Although some areas may see 3 inches of rain, it is not an extreme storm, meteorologists say
