In Southern California in August, even the rain is dry.
A uncommon spat of drizzly climate hit areas of Southern California on Wednesday and will final into Thursday, forward of one other warmth wave that’s forecast for subsequent week, the Nationwide Climate Service mentioned. However a lot of the precipitation didn’t survive the nice and cozy air to make it to the bottom, an Oxnard-based meteorologist mentioned.
As of Wednesday afternoon, a number of climate stations in Ventura County, the Los Angeles County mountains and the excessive desert acquired a “couple hundredths of an inch,” mentioned climate service meteorologist Kristan Lund.
“Numerous it that’s falling is what we name virga,” Lund mentioned. “Meaning it’s actually dry … so it doesn’t attain the bottom. It rains from the clouds, and that’s sort of making a wispy look.”
Rain of any quantity, nonetheless, is unusual in August in Southern California.
The “rainfall” comes from the remnants of now-dissipated Tropical Storm Eugene, which shaped off Baja California earlier this week.
“We get remnants once in a while,” Lund mentioned, noting that final August, Hurricane Kay fostered related circumstances.
Thunderstorms additionally popped up off the coast and within the mountains on Wednesday, Lund mentioned, and the climate service mentioned there was a 20% to 30% probability of the grey circumstances lasting into Thursday.
The thunderstorms convey with them the chance of wildfire resulting from lightning strikes in sun-parched vegetation.
“We ask individuals to be very cautious and to remain indoors in the event that they hear any thunder,” Lund mentioned. “Watch out and concentrate on your environment.”
After the tropical storm remnants go, this weekend will convey one other warming development, with temperatures anticipated to peak early subsequent week.
“This weekend, we’re going to see Woodland Hills within the excessive 80s [and] low 90s,” Lund mentioned, “and see some 80s in [places] like downtown L.A.”
By early subsequent week, temperatures in areas together with Woodland Hills and Santa Clarita might attain the a whole lot and 90s, respectively, with the coasts remaining cool within the 70s.
