Cold Front Bringing Rain And Wind To San Clemente

SAN CLEMENTE, CA — Widespread rain, mountain snow, strong winds and cold temperatures are arriving in California Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.

The cold front out of the Gulf of Alaska will bring rain and unusually cool temperatures to Southern California along with the first snowfall of the season in local mountains at higher elevations. Rain is expected across the Los Angeles region by Tuesday evening, according to the weather service.

In San Clemente, there's a 50 percent chance of rain after 11 p.m. on Tuesday. On Wednesday, there will be a 40 percent chance of rain and temperatures will reach a high of around 66 degrees. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph, according to the weather service.

In many parts of neighboring Los Angeles County, there's a 60 percent chance of rain Tuesday evening with overnight lows in the upper 40s, according to the National Weather Service. The rain is expected to last through Wednesday, and day time highs will remain low all week in Los Angeles with highs in the upper 60s.

The storm, which pushed into the Pacific Northwest early Tuesday, will continue moving southeast, bringing rain to drought-stricken California, the National Weather Service said.

Southern California mountain communities such as Big Bear can expect a light dusting of snow overnight Tuesday and into Wednesday morning.

Northern California will experience the heaviest rainfall, with lighter precipitation in the southern part of the state, the National Weather Service said, adding that the rainfall will not make much of a dent in the extreme drought that continues to plague California.

Heavy snow is expected to develop from west to east through the Cascades of Oregon and southward into the northern and central Sierra of California Tuesday.