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Southern California and the Southwestern United States should expect to see some serious rainfall today and later into the week. Thanks to a coming pattern change in the weather, the first serious rain and snowfall of the season is coming to the dry, arid region.
The more southerly part of the Southwest should expect to see some serious rainfall. In San Diego, they may see as much as one inch of rain, while Phoenix, Tucson, and LA can expect half an inch. Meanwhile, Flagstaff could see as much as one to two inches of rainfall!
Further north, in parts of California, Nevada, and Utah, forecasts are even calling for some light snow and winter weather. This pattern is expected to cool things off significantly as well as bring some much-needed precipitation to the notoriously dry region.
The rainfall is being welcomed by many people in Southern California, as they’ve been battling with numerous wildfires due to the arid, windy conditions this time of year. Millions have had their power turned off to prevent downed power lines from causing more fires, and thousands of others have had to evacuate as the fires rage through their towns.
As such, a deluge of rainfall is exactly what the region needed. However, this sudden downpour is no joke: flood warnings persist across the region as the rainfall overloads storm drains and douses thirsty plants. Motorists along Route 62 in the Mojave Wednesday morning were stranded by rising floodwaters, while others on Highway 177 in Desert Center, California were stuck by the same issue.
The pattern change in the Southwest is due, primarily, to a southward plunge of the Jet Stream. As the pillar of cool, moist air moves across the region, it’s intermixing with a low-pressure front that’s allowing the pattern to shift into a more seasonally-appropriate temperature.
Thankfully, this first rainfall of the wet season is breaking up dry conditions that made wildfires so likely and prominent earlier. The wet season in Southern California normally starts in November and lasts through April.
