Rain hits SoCal Sunday; another storm expected Tuesday

Rain is blanketing much of the Los Angeles area on Sunday and there is a chance of occasional thunderstorms, according to the National Weather Service.

The fast-moving system began with light rainfall Saturday in far-western Los Angeles County near the Ventura County line and is expected to continue through today, NWS Meteorologist Kristen Stewart said.

Today's rainfall is expected to drop a quarter- to a half-inch of rain before a break on Monday. More rain is expected Tuesday when yet another low pressure system is expected to move into the area, followed by a third system on Saturday.

"It is unusual to have multiple storms in May," Stewart said. She attributed the weekly or biweekly systems to the Jet Stream, which usually shifts to Washington State and Oregon in May. However, the Jet Stream has remained over Northern California and the Oregon border, causing cold fronts to dip to Southern California.

The weak El Nino "tips the scale in favor of rain" but is not the sole cause, she said.

Showers should be more widespread through the Los Angeles Basin this morning, Stewart said.

The mountain snow levels will be between 5,500 and 6,500 feet with accumulations of 1-6 inches, she said.

Temperatures will remain below normal, especially today and Tuesday when highs around the L.A. area are forecast to be in the mid to upper 60's.

Monday's temperatures could warm to the upper 60s to low 70s, Stewart said.

Meteorologists are not yet sure how much rain to expect from Tuesday's storm system, she said.

CNS contributed to this report.