The bright, sunny days of the past week are expected to turn gray and wet starting tonight when a storm moves in from the Gulf of Alaska, bringing the first of two possible rainstorms in the next few days.
A high-pressure system that had been hovering over the basin all week is expected to collapse today, paving the way for a series of advancing storms, forecasters said Friday. However, rains are not expected to be as heavy as the devastating storms of two weeks ago.
The first of the storms should bring showers overnight, which are expected to continue with a steady rain on Sunday, said Steve Burback, a meteorologist with WeatherData Inc., which provides forecasts for The Times.
"Most places (in Orange County) will be under an inch (of rain) near the coast," he said.
Inland areas should get about half an inch to an inch of rain, and one to two inches could fall near the mountains, Burback said. Snow is possible above the 5,000-foot level, he said.
Temperatures will range from the upper 60s along the coast and 70s inland, with gusty southeast winds of 15 to 20 m.p.h. expected to accompany the rain, Burback said.
Rains will be lighter by early Monday, but thunderstorms could develop later, Burback said. "There will be pretty active weather that day," he said.
Rains will slacken later Monday afternoon and temperatures are expected in the 60s.
