Winter storm arrives Thursday night
The third winter storm of the week arrives in Riverside County tonight.
As of midnight, the system was beginning to move into the San Gorgonio Pass.
A Winter Storm Warning is now in effect for San Bernardino and Riverside County mountains. The warning is for elevations 5,000' where heavy snow is expected. Avoid travel through mountain roads if you can.
A Wind Advisory is in effect for communities like Victorville and Lucerne Valley through 2:00 a.m. Friday. Gusts could reach up to 50 MPH for the High Desert but closer to 20 MPH for the low desert.
The main focus of this storm system is the concern for flooding from heavy rainfall. A Flash Flood Watch is now in effect for our local mountains below 5,500' and the Inland Empire. Moderate to heavy rain is expected with rainfall rates 0.5"+ possible. Mud and debris flows are possible around burn scars from the Apple Valley and El Dorado, among many others across Southern California.
Scattered showers will continue across the region through Friday morning.
Take it slow out on the roads during your morning commute as runoff from the mountains could create localized street flooding.
The current rainfall trend has scaled back the estimated accumulation around the Coachella Valley to under a quarter of an inch. There's still the chance for amounts to range from 0.25"-0.50" should a heavier shower make it into the desert.
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