Winter Storm Expected Today, With Gusty Winds, Heavy Rains and Lightning

A powerful winter storm is expected to strike Pasadena and the rest of Southwestern California this Sunday, and rain showers are predicted in the morning becoming heavy with thunderstorms after noon and into the night.

Rain could be heaviest between 2 and 5 p.m. accompanied by damaging gusty winds continuing into Monday morning.

The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch and a Wind Advisory over the forecast area, saying the winter storm will bring significant rain, wind and snow to mountains above Altadena.

“Rainfall totals will range between .50 and 1.50 inch,” says a Hazardous Weather Outlook for Southwestern California. “there will be a chance of thunderstorms today which could produce intense rainfall rates. These rates could generate flash flooding as well as mud and debris flows around the recent burn areas. Along with the precipitation, very strong and gusty northwest winds will be expected tonight and Monday.”

For Pasadena, that means a rainy, windy and cold day Sunday, with a “one hundred percent chance of rain” predicted, with highs just about 59 and winds from the southwest blowing in at 10 to 20 miles per hour but with gusts as high as 30 mph in the afternoon.

Rain is still likely before 10 p.m. Sunday, the rest of the night will be partly cloudy with a low around 43. The wind is predicted to continue to be troublesome, with gustiness around 25 to 35 mph until Monday.

Later Monday, Pasadena will experience sunny but breezy weather as the low pressure moves south of the area. Highs will still be near 58 with a north to northwest wind gusting up to 30 mph.

Monday night will be mostly clear, lows around 40 degrees.