Flash Flood Advisory Issued for Fish Fire Burn Areas

LOS ANGELES, CA -- The second storm in a series of three struck the Southland Friday, bringing heavy rain, high winds, high surf and a risk of thunderstorms and waterspouts.

Friday's storm will be the coldest of the three, and its heaviest rainfall will occur during daytime hours, according to the National Weather Service.

A flash flood advisory was issued for site of the Fish Fire in Duarte and the Sand Fire in Santa Clarita until 4:45 p.m. Friday for fear that rain could trigger flows of mud and debris down slopes stripped bare in wildfires.
There is a significant threat of mud and rockslides, especially along canyon roadways, the NWS said.

The third storm, which is expected to be the strongest, will mostly show up Sunday and clear out the following day, it said, although showers are in Tuesday's forecast.

The combined rainfall totals for all three storms, including Thursday's, could be 3 to 6 inches in coastal and valley areas and up to 9 inches in the foothills and mountains, according to an NWS statement, which said higher mountain elevations could experience heavy snowfall and 60-mile-per-hour wind gusts.

In Orange County, a flash flood watch will be in force through this evening, and thunderstorms could strike Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, San Clemente, Yorba Linda and Mission Viejo, according to the NWS.

High winds will accompany Friday's storm. A wind advisory will be in effect from 6 a.m. in the San Fernando, Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys, Santa Catalina Island, the Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area, L.A. County Beach Cities, metropolitan Los Angeles, the downtown area and the Hollywood Hills, with winds in these areas blowing at between 15 and 35 mph and gusting at up to 60 mph. The advisory will expire at 9 tonight in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys and at 6 a.m. Saturday in the other wind advisory areas.

In the San Gabriel Mountains in Ventura and Los Angeles counties, a winter storm warning -- which reflects an expectation of high winds, snow and dismal travel conditions -- will be in force until 9 a.m. Saturday.

The snow level will be at between 5,600 and 6,500 feet Friday, fall to between 4,000 and 5,000 tonight and Saturday morning, forecasters said. Between 5 and 10 inches of snow is expected above 6,000 feet through Saturday morning, they said, along with south-to-southwest winds of between 25 and 40 mph gusting to 65 mph.

Until the storms pass, residents were urged to travel through the San Gabriels only in an emergency. Along the coast, high surf is expected until Tuesday. A high surf advisory will be in force until 10 p.m., followed by a high surf warning that will be in effect until 6 a.m. Sunday. In Orange County, the high surf warning will expire at 10 p.m. Tuesday. The NWS forecast highs in L.A. County amid rain Friday of 47 on Mount Wilson; 50 in Palmdale and Lancaster; 53 in Saugus; 55 in Burbank and Pasadena; 56 in San Gabriel and Woodland Hills; 58 in downtown L.A.; 59 in Avalon and at LAX; and 60 Long Beach.

In Orange County, where rain and Thunderstorms are in the forecast, highs will be 58 in Mission Viejo and Yorba Linda; 59 in Laguna Beach, Fullerton, Anaheim and Irvine; and 60 in Newport Beach and San Clemente.

Temperatures will be a few degrees higher Saturday and Sunday, dip back down Monday and Tuesday, then go back up slightly amid sunshine Wednesday.

-- City News Service, photo via Shutterstock