Raging Storm to Bring Torrential Rainfall in California and Southwest Before Hitting Inland US Next Week

A major storm system is traversing the Western US this weekend, bringing potential torrential rainfall in California and Southwest before hitting the central and southern states early next week.

The raging storm is expected to also bring mountain snow and showers, affecting coastal areas of the Golden State.

Details of the lurking system is according to the latest US weather forecast issued by meteorologists.

NWS Weather Forecast

(Photo : Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

A potent storm will impact California and the rest of the Western US this weekend, according to the Weather Prediction Center (WPC) of the National Weather Service (NWS) on Saturday, December 10.

The storm will dig through the California coastline into the Southwest, bringing heavy to excessive rainfall along the Golden State coastal areas.

Furthermore, the NWS short-range forecast says there will be widespread heavy snow from the Sierra into most parts of the Intermountain West.

The storm system will also become a large-scale, significant storm by early next week.

It will be moving across the central-southern US, causing heavy snow, heavy rain, and severe thunderstorm.

The NWS weather forecast is valid from Sunday to Tuesday, December 11 to December 13.

However, the outlook could be updated or changed in the coming days, as in some instances in the past.

During this period, there is a possibility of flooding in low-lying areas and poor visibility, especially in high-altitude locations where mountain snow may occur.

Also Read: Cross-country Storm Expected to Deliver Snow From California to Michigan

Wet Weather

Forecasters stated the wet weather will transpire from early Saturday morning in Southern California, with possible light rainfall across the counties of San Luis Obispo, Ventura, and Santa Barbara.

A more substantial rain will strike Los Angeles County on the late evening of Sunday and into the early morning of Sunday, according to Ryan Kittell, a NWS meteorologist in Oxnard, as cited by the Los Angeles Times.

Weather experts said the San Gabriel Mountains and Santa Barbara County foothills will receive most of the rain.

A range of one to two inches of rain is expected in valleys and coastal areas, while two to five inches are predicted in mountains and hills, as referenced the Los Angeles newspaper.

The experts assert that California's rainfall totals in 2022 are in healthy levels.

California Drought

This year alone, the wet weather, including precipitation from storm systems and atmospheric rivers, came after California experienced extreme heat, dry conditions, renewed wildfires, and drought in recent months, especially during the summer season.

In November, The Washington Post reported that some California residents relied on bottled water to survive the hot and dry climate due to the severe drought.

The state witnessed lack of water supply due to depleted water reservoirs in previous months.

Despite the looming storm system, some experts attribute the occurrence of the late year showers precipitation as beneficial rain with the hope alleviating the water crisis in California, as well as put off the state's recurring wildfires.