Spring Storm Douses Orange County, Flash Flood Watch Monday

ORANGE COUNTY, CA — Following several days of unseasonably warm temperatures, a storm arrived early Monday to deliver a dose of much needed rain to drought-stricken Orange County.

The rain comes on the heels of a Flash Flood Watch, the National Weather Service reported. Residents of burn scar areas in Orange County faced a mandatory evacuation order issued by the Orange County Sheriff's Department in anticipation of flooding Monday.

"Heavy rainfall could trigger flash flooding of low-lying areas, urbanized street flooding, and debris flows in and near recent wildfire burn scars," the service reported.

The Pacific storm system was expected to bring widespread rain, high elevation snow and gusty winds through Tuesday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

Thunderstorms, which could trigger heavy downpour and hail, were also possible for the Southland, the NWS said. The storm was expected to bring 0.25 to 0.50 inches per hour.

"Drier conditions are expected the remainder of the week with near normal temperatures," NWS officials wrote on Monday.

READ MORE: Mandatory Evacuation Order Near Orange County Burn Area

Weather officials warned that the storm could complicate things for Orange County commuters.

"The soaking rain, falling heavy at times, is likely to create extra slowdowns and delays for the Monday morning commute — it could be a very challenging commute," said Jonathan Porter, chief meteorologist for AccuWeather.

"Motorists are reminded that especially just as rain starts after being dry for an extended period of time, oil and other materials on the road surface can produce extremely slippery road conditions when they mix with falling rain," he said.

Rain was expected to fall at a moderate rate through the morning, with heavier showers anticipated by Monday afternoon. Between a half-inch and 1.5 inches of rain were possible on the coast and in the valleys, with one to three inches possible in foothills and mountains, weather officials said.

Monday's high temperature is expected to be around 61 degrees in central Orange County. Stormy conditions are expected to clear out by late Tuesday, with temperatures again climbing by 5 to 10 degrees, according to the NWS. Forecasters did say there was a slight chance of rain across the Southland late Thursday through Friday.

The storm arrives just a week after the state imposed new water restrictions in response to the worsening drought situation in California.

Unless counties start to see more rainfall this month, the January-March period will be the driest wet season in at least a century, water officials said last week.

In the Southland, about a third of the area's water comes from state supplies, most of which are funneled through the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. The agency serves 19 million residents.

"We all need to take this drought more seriously and significantly step up our water-saving efforts to help preserve our dropping storage levels and ensure we have the water we need into the summer and fall," said Abel Hagekhalil, the district's general manager, in a statement.

READ MORE: CA Imposes New Water Cuts As Drought Intensifies