A light storm swept through the Los Angeles area early Saturday, bringing rain that caused a mudslide and led to the closure of a section of the Pacific Coast Highway. The National Weather Service reported that rain would continue in the area through Sunday morning, but expected it to ease by noon on Saturday.
Meteorologist Bryan Lewis explained that while the rain was mild, it was sufficient to create issues in areas affected by previous wildfires, particularly the Palisades fire. The rain triggered mud to flow down the hills near Malibu, prompting authorities to close the highway from Carbon Beach Terrace to Coastline Drive.
As the storm rolled in, temperatures in Los Angeles dropped to the high 50s, with even cooler conditions in the Antelope Valley, where temperatures fell to the low 50s. Lewis noted that these temperatures were unusually cold for this time of year.
On Sunday, the rain is expected to give way to partly cloudy skies, with temperatures rising to the low 60s. The storm could bring about a quarter-inch of rain in the lower areas and up to half an inch in the foothills.
Despite the rain, Los Angeles has seen significantly less precipitation this season compared to normal. Since October 1, downtown Los Angeles has recorded only 7.88 inches of rain, far below the average of 13.63 inches for that period. This year’s rainfall is also notably less than last year’s total of 22.02 inches during the same timeframe.