Southern Californians from the coast to the desert could experience light rain and thunderstorms Tuesday through Thursday as the region’s first monsoonal wetness begins to build up in the region, meteorologists said.
But overall rainfall is not expected to be significant, as optimistic forecasts for mountainous areas will see one-tenth to one-third of an inch of rain fall, according to Mark Moede, meteorologist for the National Weather Service. Seasonally high temperatures are likely to continue inland, but cloud cover could potentially reduce Wednesday’s high temperatures by several degrees, Moede said.
The increase in atmospheric moisture is coming from the Gulf of Mexico to the east and the Gulf of California to the south, Moede said. This coincides not only with the first day of summer on Tuesday 21 June, but also with the traditional start of the rainy season.
Rain and lightning could begin in areas as early as Tuesday evening, according to David Gomberg, NWS meteorologist. He said there is a 20 to 40 percent chance of rainfall across most of Los Angeles County during the 24-hour period ending Wednesday night.
Residents of the Inland Empire living further north and east around the mountains of San Bernardino County will have the best chance of rain, Moede said.
“Some of the rain that falls will evaporate before it reaches the ground (in lower areas),” Moede said.
According to Gomberg, the probability of showers and thunderstorms along the coast extends from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara.
According to Moede, on Thursday, June 23, a change in the atmospheric flow regime will reduce the likelihood of precipitation in the region. However, a few occasional showers could be seen on land on Thursday afternoon, he said.
Moede said monsoon weather could heighten fears of flash floods and landslides in areas of recent fires, but they likely won’t matter during this week’s rainfall.
We begin to refine the forecast for monsoon rains and storms in the middle of the week ⛈️
The highest probability will be in the mountains and deserts on Wednesday, but showers and storms in the valleys and along the coast are not excluded.
Remember, when thunder strikes, go indoors! #kavks pic.twitter.com/yrdTwvCMP4
— NWS San Diego (@NWSSanDiego) June 20, 2022
During heavy rains in the Inland Empire, places inside the scars from the Apple and El Dorado fires cause concern, according to Moede. In Los Angeles County, areas inside the fire scars at Bobcat, Ranch 2 and Lake should be on high alert when heavy rain is expected, Gomberg said.
Cloud-to-ground lightning strikes could also be a factor during this week’s storms, Gomberg said. On Tuesday and Wednesday, an increased fire danger was declared in the interior of Los Angeles County, according to NWS.
During lightning, the NWS recommends that residents seek shelter indoors or in a hard top vehicle. If someone is walking during a thunderstorm, the NWS says they are advised to go below the tree line.
Increased fire risk is expected over the coming week due to hot weather with low humidity. However, thunderstorms are possible from Tuesday through Wednesday over Los Angeles and Ventura counties with dry lightning risk. Any new fire start will grow rapidly! #CAwx #Southern California pic.twitter.com/JJCm5yBv7G
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) June 20, 2022
Temperatures hit the 90s or triple digits in many areas of the interior of Southern California on Monday, according to the NWS. San Bernardino, for example, reached 100 degrees. In Los Angeles County, temperatures reached 94 in Topanga and 91 in Long Beach. in Orange County, Santa Ana, the temperature reached 92 degrees. The heatwave is expected to last through the weekend and into next week.
It’s hot for the hinterland today! 🥵
In several places in the Inland Empire today, the temperature has already reached 100 degrees, and in many others it is above 90 degrees. Keep calm this week! #kavks pic.twitter.com/ttdIfq0b04
— NWS San Diego (@NWSSanDiego) June 20, 2022
