Rain to renew mudslide concerns in burn scar areas of California this week

https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/rain-to-renew-mudslide-concerns-in-burn-scar-areas-of-california-this-week/70006781

Rain to renew mudslide concerns in burn scar areas of California this week

The latest winter storm will sweep from west to east across the southern United States through this weekend with its first stop over California during the middle part of this week.

Rain, mountain snow and gusty winds will spread southeastward across California through Wednesday night.

This storm is not expected to rival the potent storm from late last week which dumped feet of snow in the Sierra Nevada and triggered numerous mudslides in the burn scar areas. However, residents and visitors can still face travel disruptions and localized hazards around midweek.

"Spotty rain and mountain snow that arrived over Northern California on Tuesday morning will become more widespread Tuesday night, at which time it will overspread much of Southern California," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.

The heaviest rainfall will target the central coastline and Southern California, but there can still be localized downpours elsewhere in the state.

"The risk for mudslides and debris flows in the burn scar areas may be highest around where the Woolsey and Thomas fires scorched land and homes north of Los Angeles," AccuWeather Meteorologist Maggie Samuhel stated.

"At this point, the heaviest rain for these areas is expected to be early in the day on Wednesday," she added.

AccuWeather meteorologists will monitor the potential for any additional downpours to accompany the periods of rain set to follow through Thursday. Isolated thunderstorms may even rumble across Southern California.

The storm will continue to move slowly along. Rain and mountain snow are scheduled to depart Northern California Wednesday night, but linger in Southern California into Thursday.

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The rain can lead to flight delays and slower travel on area interstates. This includes in San Francisco through Wednesday, and Los Angeles and San Diego from Wednesday into Thursday morning.

Gusty winds can also buffet the California coast during the first half of the storm, which will stir up dangerously rough seas and renew beach hazards.

Residents along the coast will want to ensure outdoor holiday decorations are properly secured to avoid being blown around and damaged.

In the mountains, motorists planning to travel through Donner Summit along Interstate 80 should expect slippery travel due to occasional snowfall.

The ski resorts in the southern Sierra may welcome around another foot of snow.

The return of snow through the I-5 Grapevine Corridor is not anticipated with this storm, but the storm may end as some snow in the mountains of Southern California.