California Radar at 6:30 PM Pacific Time...

Check out this radar. The heaviest rain is just starting to affect the area, as I predicted in earlier posts. If you are located on the south or southwestward side of a mountain, expect even heavier rains in your location due to orographic lifting. In this radar image, you can almost see where the mountains are located by tracing the yellow radar echoes from Santa Barbara to north of Burbank. The rain is heavier in these locations because of the air being forced to rise over the mountains. From this point on, the rain intensity in Los Angeles is going to be picking up. Furthermore, expect winds to increase in speed. I am expecting 25 mph winds, with the occasional gust to 40 or 50 mph. My current forecast looks right on track.

Current Radar Imagery...

Take a look at the current radar imagery. This image is valid as of 11:45 AM Pacific Time. The central and northern coast is getting battered by heavy rain and high winds, and this is only heading south. The culprit? A 960 mb storm off the Pacific Northwest, associated with a strong jet slamming into the West Coast. This precip is working down the coast, and just beginning to reach the Los Angeles area. Expect on and off showers this afternoon with pick up in intensity tonight. All that green and yellow is heading towards Los Angeles, so start building your Arc!