Rain, and some snow, coming to Southern California this weekend

A pair of winter storm systems are expected to bring rain, and a little bit of snow, to some areas of Southern California from Friday through Sunday, weather forecasters said.

Meteorologists with the National Weather Service in Los Angeles on Thursday, Dec. 1, said the storm would bring “widespread rain to the area, with snow likely in the mountains at resort levels.”

The Giant Wheel stands above the Irvine Spectrum Center as clouds roll by in Irvine, CA, on Thursday, December 1, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Dark clouds hang over downtown Los Angeles on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Cloudy days are here in Southern California through the weekend, with high temperatures around 60 with a chance of rain on Sunday, as a man walks atop Signal Hill on Thursday, December 1, 2022. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

Visitors at Knott’s Berry Farm ride Silver Bullet under cloudy skies in Buena Park, CA, on Thursday, December 1, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The skyline was crisp and the temperatures cold for California standards with rain in the forecast in Long Beach on Wednesday, November 30, 2022. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

Visitors at Knott’s Berry Farm ride HangTime under cloudy skies in Buena Park, CA, on Thursday, December 1, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Dark clouds hang over downtown Los Angeles from the 6th St. Viaduct onThursday, Dec. 1, 2022. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Cloudy days are here in Southern California through the weekend, with high temperatures around 60 with a chance of rain on Sunday, as a man sits atop Signal Hill on Thursday, December 1, 2022. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

Rain winter clouds fill the skies as jets takeoff from Van Nuys airport Thursday Dec 1, 2022. Rain is forecast for over next few day over the weekend.
(Photo by Gene Blevins/Contributing Photographer)

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The storm is expected to hit Santa Barbara County hardest, with communities there possibly seeing between 3 to 6 inches of rain over the next three days.

In Ventura and Los Angeles counties, however, rain totals are expected to be lower: Both counties could see roughly an inch of rain, though totals in mountainous areas could be as higher.

Further south and east, Orange County and the Inland Empire are expected to see very little rain, just a tenth of an inch to one-fifth of an inch, and even lower rain totals in the high desert.

“The first wave of a two-pronged system is hitting (San Luis Obispo) County this afternoon and is tapping into some warmer subtropical air generating light to moderate rain,” meteorologists in the NWS Los Angeles office wrote Thursday. “This will slide down the coast overnight and bring rain to most areas by Friday morning.”

Snow levels are expected to be light: Mountainous areas at 7,000 feet of elevation will get a light dusting first, with some snow dropping to around 6,000 feet. But major mountain routes are not likely to get much snow at all, according to the NWS. However, they cautioned that there will be winter conditions making roads slippery and wet.

“With heavier rain bands, there could be rockfall onto mountain roads,” they wrote. “Leave additional drive time due to wet, slick roadways and allow extra time for your commute.”

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