LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Los Angeles is poised to receive its largest rainfall in almost a year, following the worst 10-month downtown dry spell in 140 years, according to a National Weather Service meteorologist.
The storm bearing down on the Southland and expected Monday night to Wednesday morning is forecast to deliver one to two inches of rain to the coast, inland and valleys and two to four inches or perhaps even five inches on south-facing slopes, NWS Meteorologist Joe Sirad told City News Service.
That would be the most rainfall since Feb. 17, 2017 when Los Angeles got 2.01 inches.
``Our confidence is quite high,'' Sirad said of the computer models aiding in the forecast.
In 2017, downtown Los Angeles experienced its driest March 1 through Dec. 31 since 1878, with only .69 of an inch of rainfall, he said.
The expected moisture may be welcome for some residents, but not those who live in the Creek, La Tuna, Rye and Skriball burn areas, where there is a ``strong potential for mud and debris flows,'' Sirad said.
``People in burn areas need to take protective measures and listen for evacuation messages,'' Sirad said.
It also could result in urban street and underpass flooding making for a ``rainy, windy commute'' on Tuesday, he said.
An offshore flow is forecast to return late Wednesday with warmer temperatures, dry air, low humidity and gusty winds through Sunday and more rain could arrive around the following Monday, Jan. 15, he said.