Rain Possible Through Friday

Isolated thunderstorms may occur off the Southland coast Thursday, and showers are possible in the region Thursday and Friday, National Weather Service forecasters said.

"A moist and unstable air mass associated with a trough of low pressure off the California coast will bring the potential for thunderstorms to the coastal waters from this afternoon through tonight," an NWS statement said.

"Any thunderstorm that forms will be capable of producing locally gusty winds and rough seas, dangerous lightning, small hail, and heavy rainfall with reduced visibility."

Mariners should seek safe harbor if threatening weather approaches, it said.

Friday's forecast calls for a chance of showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms.

The chance of measurable precipitation was set at 40 percent today, 50 percent tonight and Friday during daytime hours, and 30 percent Friday night. Mostly cloudy skies are expected today and Friday.

Showers are also expected in some Southland communities on Saturday.

In the San Gabriel Mountains in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, showers, snow showers and isolated thunderstorms are possible Thursday afternoon, along with small hail, forecasters said. The snow level will be between 6,500 and 7,000 feet, and around one inch of accumulation is expected.

A weather service statement blamed an upper-level low pressure system for the "extended period of unsettled weather."

The NWS forecast a mix of rain, showers and cloudy skies today, along with highs of 55 on Mount Wilson; 62 in Avalon; 63 at LAX, in Mission Viejo and Laguna Beach; 64 in Newport Beach and Irvine; 65 in Long Beach, Palmdale, San Gabriel, Burbank, Woodland Hills, Saugus, Fullerton, Anaheim and San Clemente; and 66 in downtown L.A., Pasadena, Lancaster and Yorba Linda. Similar temperatures are expected Friday and Saturday.

--City News Service, photo via Shutterstock