Brr! Cold Storm To Bring Rain, Low Temps To Pasadena

LOS ANGELES, CA — Another storm out of the Gulf of Alaska is making its way to Los Angeles, bringing below normal temperatures and rain and snow to the region. The storm is expected to be short-lived with the bulk of the precipitation falling Thursday.

The storm is poised to generate between three and five hours of moderate rain Thursday. Authorities are optimistic that the rainfall won't be enough to trigger mud slides or debris flows in burn areas. The rain could move in as early as Wednesday night, according to the National Weather Service forecasters.

The San Gabriel Mountains are expected to get between four and eight inches of snow falling above 5,500 feet and between one and four inches between 3,500 and 5,500 feet, said NWS meteorologist Rich Thompson in a telephone interview from his base in Oxnard in Ventura County.

South winds of 40-50 miles per hour and strong cross winds are expected over icy, snow-covered roads in mountain areas, causing blowing snow and sharply limiting visibility, warned the NWS, adding that the roads expected to be affected by challenging conditions include Interstate 5 through the Grapevine, the Antelope Valley (14) Freeway, Pearblossom (138) Highway, and Highway 33 in Ventura County.

He said three to five hours of rain is expected Thursday and Thursday night, likely generating some minor urban flooding, although mud slides and debris flows over slopes denuded by wildfires are not expected.

"At this point, no problems are anticipated in burn areas," he said early Tuesday morning.

Between a quarter-inch and three quarter of an inch of rain are expected along the L.A. County coast and in the county's valleys, and between three-quarters and an inch-and-a-half in the mountains and foothills, according to the NWS.

NWS meteorologist Greg Martin said from his monitoring station in San Diego, describing the approaching system as "smaller" and "fast-moving."

The NWS forecast sunny skies in L.A. County Tuesday, along with highs of 51 on Mount Wilson; 58 in Lancaster; 60 in Avalon; 61 in Long Beach, Saugus, Burbank and at LAX; and 63 in Downtown L.A., Pasadena, San Gabriel and Woodland Hills. Wednesday's temperatures will be about the same in some communities, slightly higher in others amid a combination of sunny and partly cloudy skies, but Thursday's highs will dip to the low and high 50s amid rain before rising to the 60s on Friday.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.