Is it going to rain today? See when rain is expected for Southern California this week

Southern California is gearing up for rain this week thanks to two storm systems, the National Weather Service Los Angeles said Sunday.

While an atmospheric river may bring light rain to parts of San Luis Obispo County Monday, the storm’s peak won’t occur until Tuesday for the county and for areas further south, NWS Los Angeles said in an early forecast discussion on Monday.

The atmospheric river will depart early Thursday, but rain is likely for Thursday evening through Friday morning in the region.

This first storm is expected to peak from noon Tuesday through 8 a.m. Wednesday for San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, said NWS Los Angeles on Sunday. As for Los Angeles County, the storm’s peak will occur from 10 p.m. Tuesday through noon Wednesday.

The rain comes as parts of Northern California have been threatened by floods due to excessive rainfall. That’s in addition to heavy snow expected in the state through Wednesday toward the Oregon and Nevada borders, according to the NWS Sacramento.

How much rain is expected for Southern California?

Northwest San Luis Obispo County can see three to six inches of rain from Monday through Wednesday, while Los Angeles and Ventura counties are expected to see an inch or less of rain, said the NWS Los Angeles in a forecast discussion issued later Monday morning.

There will be less total rainfall through Friday for regions south and east of Los Angeles County, the NWS San Diego said on Monday.

Most of the San Diego County area will see less than a third of an inch of rain, with some exceptions for the Oceanside and Palomar areas. Some of the Coachella Valley area will see less than half of an inch of rain total.

Why rain poses a threat to recent burned areas in LA County

Recently burned areas are vulnerable to flooding. Rain that would otherwise be absorbed by the earth will run off “extremely quickly after a wildfire, as burned soil can be as water-repellant as pavement,” said the NWS’ Seattle/Tacoma office.

These mudslides and debris flows can endanger peoples’ lives. And the mudslides would also be “incredibly contaminated” because of materials used in houses and vehicles that were burned in the fires, USA TODAY reported.

However, NWS Los Angeles said in its forecast discussion Monday that the chances are “very small” that “rain rates will reach USGS. thresholds for debris flows” at the recently burned areas in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

Nearly 60 miles of protective materials have been installed in recent Los Angeles-area burn scars as part of efforts to protect watersheds from contaminated debris flows and flooding, according to a news release from Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Paris Barraza is a trending reporter covering California news at The Desert Sun. Reach her at pbarraza@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: See when it’s going to rain in Southern California this week