Christmas Storm Alert: SoCal Braces for Significant Rainfall and Cooler Temperatures

Incoming Weather System

• 🌧️ A significant rain event is forecasted to impact Southern California, potentially starting late Tuesday and lasting through at least Friday of next week.
• ⚠️ This system is described as an atmospheric river, indicating a substantial amount of moisture.

Temperature Trends

• 🌡️ A cooling trend begins tomorrow and continues into the weekend, with even cooler temperatures expected next week.
• ☀️ Today was the warmest day of the week, reaching 79 degrees, with tomorrow seeing a slight cooldown to the low 70s in downtown LA.
• ☁️ Expect more cloud cover this weekend, with the marine layer potentially bringing fog back Friday night into Saturday morning and again Saturday night into Sunday morning.

Rainfall and Snow Projections

• 🌊 The atmospheric river is expected to bring widespread, potentially heavy rain from Wednesday through Thursday (Christmas Day) and into Friday.
• 📊 Initial projections from Noah's Weather Prediction Center suggest local rainfall totals could range between 2.5 to 7 inches, with higher amounts possible in the mountains.
• 🏔️ Significant snowfall is anticipated in the Sierra Nevada, with 5 to 7 feet of snow expected in higher elevations.
• ❄️ Locally, snow is primarily expected above 8,000 feet, with potential for good totals on the highest mountain tops, particularly in the San Bernardino mountains near Big Bear.

Potential Impacts

• 🚨 There is a possibility of flooding in the area during Christmas Eve and Christmas Day due to the expected heavy rainfall.
• 🎯 The rain chances are looking high, with some days potentially reaching 100% probability.