Southland Braces for Onslaught of Rain, Snow

A strong late-season storm is expected to bring heavy rain, snow and possible mudslides to Southern California today, along with strong winds and dense fog in the mountains, according to the National Weather Service.

Rain from the large front, which has been gathering strength in the Pacific, was expected to begin falling shortly after midnight. The National Weather Service said the combination of snow, wind and fog in the mountains will “make travel very hazardous or impossible.”

The areas of Southern California most vulnerable to mudslides are those burned by last season’s wildfires.

The warning of possible mudslides, said Bonnie Bartling, a weather specialist with the National Weather Service, “gives the other agencies a heads-up” about potential problems.

Rainfall totals are expected to be 1 to 2 inches in the coastal and valley areas and double that in the foothills and mountains. The most rain is expected on south- and southwest-facing mountain slopes, where the accumulation could be up to 5 inches.

The weather service said preliminary predictions call for 12 to 24 inches of snow in the mountains above 7,000 feet, decreasing to 6 inches at the 5,000- to 6,000-foot mark.

Winds also are a concern, the weather service said, and are likely to increase to 30 to 40 mph, gusting to 55 in some mountain locales.

Blowing snow will decrease visibility to near zero at times, the weather service said.