Expect More Rain In The Inland Valleys And Snow As Low As The Foothills This Week

RIVERSIDE (CNS) - A final storm system is expected to dump moderate
rainfall and snow today (Monday) in the Inland Empire, forecasters said.
   The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for the San
Bernardino Mountains and the Riverside County Mountains that remains in
effect through 4 a.m. Wednesday.
   Snow levels will be around 5,500 feet today then drop to around 2,500
feet by Tuesday night, NWS meteorologist Miguel Miller said.
   ``Very heavy snow is expected to fall near the top of Mt. San
Jacinto,'' Miller said. ``Snowfall totals through Tuesday night are expected to
be between six inches and a foot above 6,000 feet and between one and three
feet above 7,500 feet.''
   The snow along with gusty winds in the mountain passes could create
hazardous conditions on the roads, Miller said.
   Intermittent showers will begin this morning and remain through
Tuesday night, according to the Weather Service.
   The Riverside metropolitan area and Lake Elsinore are expected to get
up to six-tenths of an inch of rainfall today while the San Gorgonio Pass near
Banning could see up to 1.2 inches, meteorologists said. Up to 1.6 inches of
precipitation is forecast for Idyllwild and less than one-tenth of an inch is
expected in the Coachella Valley.
   Multiple neighborhoods fell under mandatory evacuation orders at
intervals between Jan. 14 and Jan. 17, when the last storm series produced
intense downpours, resulting in a number of street closures. Mud and debris
flows, however, did not cause any serious damage to residential properties.
   The Riverside County Emergency Management Department issued mandatory
evacuation orders Saturday morning for numerous communities in the Holy Fire
burn areas, but all mandatory and voluntary evacuation orders were lifted by
Sunday morning.
   A wide area skirting the eastern side of the national forest,
bordering Lake Elsinore and the Temescal Valley, was left exposed to potential
flood damage because of the 23,000-acre Holy Fire in August. The blaze,
allegedly the work of an arsonist, denuded steep terrain below Santiago Peak,
permitting water to flow unchecked onto lower slopes where subdivisions are
situated.
   The scattered showers will remain in the Inland Empire until Tuesday
night and the storm cell is expected to exit the region by Wednesday morning,
Miller said.