Chance of Showers Ahead

As much as two inches of rain could fall on rain-prone mountains and hillsides in Southern California next week, as winter makes an early return to the local weather scene.

Snow is expected to fall on the very-highest mountaintops Tuesday night, above 7,000 feet, but will stay far above the elevations traversed by major road links, a National Weather Service forecaster said.

"Some of those hillsides that face the incoming clouds will get a lot of rain, in a range of 1 to 2 inches, before this is over,'' said forecaster Rich Thompson at the NWS station in Oxnard.

Daytime high temperatures may be 30 degrees below normal seasonal levels after the jet stream starts blowing the first of two cold, winter-style Pacific weather systems into the area on Tuesday. The first storm is weak, the second looks strong, he said.

After scattered drizzle or light rain douse the area on Tuesday, heavy rain and strong winds are likely Wednesday, with gusts up to 50 mph possible in some mountain locations.

Fair and warm weather is expected to return by Friday, and the words "Santa Ana winds" appear nowhere in the long-term forecast.

-- From City News Service