Residents in Woolsey Fire burn areas prepare for more rain

A storm that originated in the central Pacific headed toward the Southland and will bring average to moderate rainfall, likely from tonight until early Friday, according to National Weather Service meteorologists.

The storm was off the coast of Northern California this morning and was on a track to drop southeastward, said NWS meteorologist Dave Bruno. He said the heaviest rain will remain off the coast and that much heavier rain would fall on the Southland if the storm's trajectory were 50 miles to the east.

No mudslides or debris flows were expected in burn zones.

As of early this morning, there was a 20 percent chance of showers after midnight, then a forecast of showers Wednesday, Wednesday night, Thursday and Thursday night, and a 70 percent chance of showers after midnight, according to the NWS.

A wind advisory will be in effect until 3 p.m. today in the San Gabriel Mountains and Santa Clarita Valley. Winds of 20-30 miles per hour with 45 mph gusts were expected in the mountains. In the Santa Clarita Valley, the wind was expected to blow at 15-25 mph with gusts of 40 mph.

The NWS forecast partly cloudy skies in L.A. County today and highs of 57 degrees on Mount Wilson; 58 in Lancaster; 59 in Palmdale; 63 in Saugus; 64 in Avalon; 67 in San Gabriel; 68 in Burbank; 69 in Downtown L.A., Long Beach and at LAX; and 70 in Pasadena and Woodland Hills.

Temperatures will drop by as much as 9 degrees Wednesday, then climb by a few degrees Thursday amid showers.

Sunny skies were forecast in Orange County today, along with highs of 52 on Santiago Peak; 63 on Ortega Highway at 2,600 feet; 66 in Laguna Beach; 67 in Fremont Canyon, Newport Beach and San Clemente; 69 in Yorba Linda; 71 in Irvine and Mission Viejo; 72 in Anaheim; and 73 in Fullerton. Temperatures will drop by as much as 9 degrees Wednesday amid rain and rise marginally amid showers Thursday.

The 96,949-acre Woolsey Fire -- which broke out Nov. 8 in Ventura County and quickly spread into los angeles county -- killed three civilians in Malibu, injured three firefighters, destroyed 1,643 structures and damaged 364 others.