Rain-weary California to get even more

[Jeb]

Too much rain for Southern California

5:50 A.M. ET 2/18/2005

 

Tim Ballisty, Meteorologist, The Weather Channel

 

 

With a reach into the pocket of the subtropics, impulses from the storm parked off the California coast will slide inland today. Rain will be heavy at times and spread across parts of central and especially southern sections of California during much of the day. Locally heavy amounts of rain in the mountains and burn areas may lead to more mudslides throughout the region. The heaviest rain, perhaps over a foot, will inundate the southern-facing slopes of Ventura and Los Angeles Counties. Meanwhile, a foot or more of snow will fall across the higher elevations (above 6000 feet) of the southern Sierra and the mountains of Southern California and southern Nevada. A snow advisory and a heavy snow warning is in effect for the northern and southern Sierra-Nevada mountains respectively. If a very wet solution pans out between now and the beginning of next week, the flooding that may occur could possibly rival the flooding of early January. Rain will also spread into southern Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico during the day. Flooding is possible again in southwestern New Mexico in an area that has already been declared a disaster area from the previous storm. There will be more fuel on the fire by early next week as another storm system located in western Canada will slide down the California coast possibly worsening the already dangerous situation.

 

To the east, look for blustery conditions around the Great Lakes with lake-effect snow to continue over parts of Upper Michigan, western Michigan, northeast Ohio, northwest Pennsylvania and parts of western and central New York. Roadways will become snow covered so take it easy if you have to drive.