The Rain Is Here: Expect More

Up to three-quarters of an inch of rain is expected to fall this week as a “moderately-cold storm” moves through the area.

The National Weather Service says to expect a few periods of moderate rainfall today. Thursday will be mainly dry, but Friday will be wet through Saturday—that's when rainfall will be the heaviest.

In Aliso Viejo, daytime temperatures will hover in the upper-50s, with lows dropping to 44 degrees Thursday night.

The Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather statement, cautioning Southern California residents of strong, gusty winds this afternoon and evening in the passes and mountains, where snow is expected to fall as low as 4,000 feet.

So far this season, 13.44 inches of rain has fallen at the Weather Service’s gauge at John Wayne Airport in Costa Mesa, that’s 2 inches more than last year, and nearly double the amount that fell in 2009.

This week’s rain could help tip the scales to more than 170 percent of what’s normal for this time of year.