First Alert Forecast

When will it rain in LA? See this week's rainfall timeline

Two storms are expected to bring another round of significant rainfall to Los Angeles and wildfire burns scars.

What to Know

  • Two storms fueled by an atmospheric river will arrives this week in Los Angeles.
  • Expect rain Tuesday into Wednesday and again Thursday into Friday.
  • The storms will mark the second significant rainfall after a dry start to the wet season.
  • The Eaton Fire, Palisades Fire and other wildfires left the region's hillside more vulnerable to slides during rainstorms.

Two rounds of rain fueled by an atmospheric river over the Pacific Ocean are in this week's forecast for Southern California.

The storms will mark the second significant rainfall after a dry start to the wet season in a region under severe to extreme drought that exacerbated wildfire conditions in January, contributing to the spread of two of the deadliest and most destructive fires on record in California.

Both the Eaton and Palisades fires were 100-percent contained last week after burning tens of thousands of acres. They left behind hillsides stripped of vegetation, making them more vulnerable to slides and debris flows during downpours.

Before last month's rainfall that broke a months-long dry spell, downtown LA recorded just 0.16 inches of rain this season. The average annual rainfall in downtown LA is about 14.25 inches. In the 2022-2023 wet season, the region had 28.40 inches of rain followed by 25.19 inches of rain in 2023-2024.

The average rainfall for January, historically the second-wettest month of the year in Los Angeles, is close to 4 inches.

So what should Southern Californians expect from this week's storms? Here's a rainfall timeline.

Rain forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday

The first storm is expected to bring rain to Ventura County before spreading to Los Angeles and Orange counties, the Inland Empire, and San Bernardino County by Tuesday night. The heaviest rain will be overnight into Wednesday morning with lighter rainfall south of LA County.

Rain will start to taper off by Wednesday afternoon.

Gusty southwest to west winds will develop with the first system. Peak gusts of 40 mph to 50 mph are in the mountain and desert forecasts. Snow levels will remain high.

Rainfall totals will reach about 0.5 to 1 inch in Ventura County, 0.25 to 0.75 inch in Los Angeles County and 0.25 to 0.5 inch in the Inland Empire and Orange County.

The storm will be powered by an atmospheric river, invisible plumes of moisture in the sky that play a significant role in how much rain the state receives. They have contributed to some of California's wettest winters and most damaging storms on record.

LA County has installed k-rails, sandbags and other flood control infrastructure in wildfire burn areas ahead of the storms. HIllsides stripped of vegetation do not hold water well, potentially resulting in damage floods and debris flows.

Rain forecast for Thursday and Friday

The second storm will arrive Thursday afternoon with slightly colder temperatures. The system brings a chance of thunderstorms and mountain snow. The storm is expected to clear out by Friday night.

The forecast for the late-week storm continues to take shape in term of rainfall amount and more specific timing. Follow NBCLA for updates.

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