Baldwin Park Weather Forecast: Strong Winds, Rain, and Mountain Snow?

BALDWIN PARK, CA — What is expected to be a particularly wet storm will strike the Southland Thursday and Friday, raising fears of flash flooding and of torrents of mud and debris flowing down slopes denuded by wildfires.

The rain will begin in Los Angeles counties in the afternoon and overnight, exiting L.A. County Friday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

All city- and county-funded winter homeless shelters in the San Gabriel Valley have been notified to stay open around the clock starting Thursday in response to the expected storm. The shelters will be open from 5 p.m. Thursday to 7 a.m. Saturday.
In Los Angeles County, light rain is expected to start falling late this morning or early this afternoon, then intensify and "come through hard," said NWS meteorologist Curt Kaplan. "This will be a pretty good rainmaker."

An NWS statement put it this way:

"The warm nature of this storm system ahead of the cold front will bring periods of heavy rain. Rainfall rates capable of triggering mud and debris flows within the recent burn areas will be possible. Rain will turn to showers by Friday morning."
The storm will be the biggest so far of the rainy season, which runs from October to May, said NWS meteorologist Andrew Rorke. Rainfall totals will range between a half-inch and 1.5 inches in coastal and valley areas and between 1 and 3 inches in the foothills and along south- and southwest-facing mountain slopes.

A flash flood watch will be in effect from this afternoon through Friday morning in the so-called burn areas of L.A. County -- in the San Gabriel and Santa Monica mountains and the San Fernando, Santa Clarita and San Gabriel valleys, as well as in areas of Ventura County.

"Southern California residents in or below the recently burned areas are urged to take the steps necessary to protect their property," said an NWS statement. "Persons in the watch area should remain alert and follow the directions of emergency preparedness officials."

"Periods of heavy rain late (this) afternoon and evening through Friday morning could lead to flash flooding and debris flows for the Sand, Fish, Sage, Old, Solimar, Springs and other recent burn areas," the statement added.

Not much atmospheric instability is seen in this storm, meaning no immediate forecast of thunderstorms. Instead, it's expected to be very wet because embedded in it is a subtropical band of moisture from Hawaii, forecasters said. This is often referred to by weather services as "the Pineapple express."

Also threatening the region are strong and potentially damaging winds. A high wind warning, projecting winds blowing or gusting at 58 miles per hour or more, will be in force from 4 p.m. Thursday until 10 a.m. Friday in the San Gabriel Mountains and the Antelope Valley. The wind in those areas is expected to blow at between 20 and 35 mph and gust at 60 mph before quickly tapering off Friday morning, forecasters said.
"Strong winds can make driving difficult, especially for drivers of high profile vehicles and vehicles towing trailers," warned an NWS statement. "Winds this strong may down trees and power lines and cause property damage."

The NWS said snow levels are forecast to drop rapidly on Friday, falling to near 4,000 feet, but only minimal accumulation is expected over passes such as the Grapevine.
Unlike much of the country, which is shivering in frigid temperatures, Southland temperatures should be relatively mild, hovering largely around the mid 60s Thursday and falling to the high 50s Friday.

The NWS forecast rainy weather in Los Angeles County Thursday and highs of 61 degrees Fahrenheit on Mount Wilson; 63 in San Gabriel and Palmdale; 64 in Avalon, Saugus, Lancaster and at LAX; 65 in Long Beach, Burbank and downtown L.A.; 66 in Pasadena; and 68 in Woodland Hills. Friday's highs will be in the mid 50s in the Antelope Valley but the high 50s in the other L.A. County communities amid more rain.

The NWS forecast cloudy skies in Orange County and highs of 63 in Newport Beach; 64 in Laguna Beach and San Clemente; 65 in Anaheim; 66 in Irvine and Mission Viejo; and 67 in Fullerton and Yorba Linda.

Friday's temperatures will be slightly lower amid showers.

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