The rain will return to Southern California this week. This is what you need to know.
forecast
The first storm is scheduled to move around the region on Thursday, with the next cold front coming on Thursday.
“Most areas on Wednesday there will be one two punches, and most areas on Wednesday will have slower rain and then more moderate rainfall,” said Robby Munroe, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
From Tuesday night to Thursday night, there is probably some light to moderate rain and snow in the mountains. There is a slight chance of thunderstorms in this system, which poses the threat of gusts of wind, lightning, and small h. pic.twitter.com/mzhuoussel
– NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLOSANGELES) March 4, 2025
Also, according to Munroe, there is enough cold air and instability to have a 10% to 20% chance of a thunderstorm from Wednesday night to Thursday evening.
In X, the NWS said forecasters were monitoring “remote potential” of “small, weak, short” tornadoes on Thursday.
conditions
According to Munroe, surrounding mountain towns, including San Gabriel Mountains and Lightwood, could see considerable snowfall. Snow can be 6-12 inches at elevations above 5,500 feet.
Heavy rains could be a concern of recent burns, which could lead to minor flooding and shallow debris flows. Recent storms forced the indefinite closure of Topanga Canyon Boulevard between the Pacific Coast Highway and Grandview Drive.
Long-term forecast
There are likely two or three more storms next week, with the first Sunday night expected to be Monday and the second expected to be around Thursday, Munroe said.
“It’s a pretty average system in terms of rainfall and snow,” Munro said of the upcoming storm this week. “That’s not normal.”
