The first day of spring looked more like winter yesterday (Wednesday), providing lightning, thunder, heavy rain, and even hail to the inland valleys, and an unseasonable dump of snow in the inland mountains. More from KVCR's Ken Vincent.
RIVERSIDE (CNS) - A low-pressure storm system could drop light rain
and snow today (Thursday) in the Inland Empire before leaving the region, according to the
National Weather Service.
The storm system moving to the southeast could drop showers until this
evening and is expected to make its exit by tonight, forecasters said.
In a 24-hour period ending around 3 a.m., the Temescal Valley received
the most rain, with 0.95 of an inch, followed by 0.75 at the Riverside
March Air Reserve Base; 0.71 in Norco; 0.57 in Cranston; 0.55 near the Pigeon
Pass Dam; 0.48 in Hemet and Keenwild and 0.47 near Angeles Hill, according to
the NWS.
Other rainfall totals include 0.45 near Lake Matthews; 0.44 in Moreno
Valley; 0.43 in Lake Elsinore; 0.42 in Vista Grande and Poppet Flats; 0.4 in
Beaumont; 0.39 in Vista Grande and 0.16 in south Riverside.
The storm could drop around one-tenth of an inch of rain in the
Riverside metropolitan area and Temecula today, while up to a half-inch is
expected in the mountains and around two-tenths of an inch could fall in the
San Gorgonio Pass near Banning, forecasters said.
Less than one-tenth of an inch is expected in the Coachella Valley and
Lake Elsinore.
The chance of measurable precipitation today is 70 percent in the
county mountains and valleys, 50 percent in the San Gorgonio Pass near Banning
and 20 percent in the Coachella Valley, forecasters said.
Snow levels will remain around 5,000 feet today and a few inches of
additional snowfall could accumulate above 6,500 feet, according to the NWS.
The NWS issued a winter weather advisory that will remain in effect
until 8 p.m. today in the county mountains above 5,500 feet. Such an advisory
denotes highly challenging travel conditions.
Periods of snow could create travel difficulties to those areas, NWS
officials warned.
It is unlikely that flooding, mud and debris flows will develop around
the Cleveland National Forest and the Temescal Valley, according to the
Riverside County Emergency Management Department.
More information is available at www.rivcoready.org.
A wide area skirting the eastern boundary of the Cleveland National
Forest was left exposed to potential flood and mud damage because of the 23,000-
acre Holy Fire in August. The arson blaze denuded steep terrain below Santiago
Peak, permitting water to flow unchecked onto lower slopes where subdivisions
are situated.
Heavy rainfall on Valentine's Day resulted in significant flooding,
prompting street closures and evacuations. A homeless woman died Feb. 14 when
she was swept away by a heavy water flow in a concrete stormwater channel in
Riverside, and several homes in Lake Elsinore were damaged by the downpour.
The storm is expected to move southeast out of the region by tonight
then dry weather is expected Friday before another low-pressure system brings a
slight chance of showers on Saturday, forecasters said.
