Snow, Flooding, Winds In Riverside County: Storm Travel Update

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — A significant winter storm will bring widespread rain, mountain snow, and gusty winds to Southern California on Tuesday, prompting National Weather Service advisories and watches for portions of Riverside County.

The local mountains and pass areas will feel the cold front's brunt. A "winter storm watch" has been issued by the NWS for the county's mountain communities beginning at 4 a.m. Tuesday through 2 a.m. Wednesday. A "flood watch" has also been issued for the mountains starting at 6 a.m. through 9 p.m. Tuesday.

A flood watch is in effect for the San Gorgonio Pass Area, too, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, while the Coachella Valley will be under a wind advisory from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday.

"All this rain, including bursts of heavier rain, will lead to periods of urban flooding and possible debris flows near and below recent burn scars, especially Apple and El Dorado burn scars and the Bond burn scar, as well as elsewhere on steep terrain. Mainstem river flooding is not expected as this system will move through quickly," the NWS reported.

Concerns about flooding prompted Riverside County officials to issue an evacuation warning Monday evening for select areas near the 2020 Apple Fire burn area north of Beaumont and Banning. The warnings affect the Marshall C, Mias A, Portrero A and Noble A zones. Detailed information about the evacuation areas is available online here.

Late Monday afternoon, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department issued an evacuation order for the communities of Oak Glen; Forest Falls; Mountain Home Village; Northeast Yucaipa, east of Bryant Street and north of Date Avenue; Highway 38, from Bryant Street to Angelus Oaks. The evacuations were prompted by the "high potential for mud and debris flow" due to "heavy sustained rain" over the El Dorado burn scar. Get more info here.

The severe weather is expected to arrive Monday evening, with areas of light rain, and heavy rainfall countywide on Tuesday, according to the NWS.

Rainfall amounts west of the mountains could reach a half-inch inch per hour Tuesday morning, with a chance of higher levels in the afternoon. Rainfall rates on the coastal slopes of the San Bernardino Mountains could reach nearly an inch an hour at times, the weather agency said.

The NWS's total rainfall estimates from the storm are up to 3 inches near Southwest Riverside County; up to 5 or more inches in the San Bernardino Mountains; up to a half-inch in the Coachella Valley and 1 inch in the high desert.

Snow accumulations are expected to be 3 to 7 inches above 5,000 feet, and 8 to 24 inches above 7,000 feet.

After the cold front passes later Tuesday afternoon, gusty winds are forecast. The strongest will be in the mountains and deserts, with gusts 45 to 60 mph. The valleys will see gusts up to 40 mph. Winds will linger into Wednesday morning, according to the NWS.

Cool conditions will prevail through the rest of the week, with patchy frost in the inland valleys each night through the weekend, the NWS said.

On Monday, Caltrans District 8 tweeted an alert to Riverside County residents.

"We're expecting some not-so-friendly driving weather, including snow over the next couple of days," Caltrans said. The agency has released "Snow Travel Tips" for Riverside County motorists: