The dry, summer-like weather that has gripped Los Angeles will start to change Tuesday ahead of two much-needed winter storms that are expected to douse the region with rain Wednesday through Friday.

The storms could be the wettest L.A. has seen in two years. The last time there was this much rain was March 25, 2012, when 0.91 inch of precipitation fell in downtown.

The first storm is expected to begin Wednesday evening and is forecast to drop as much as a quarter-inch of rain in Los Angeles County.

A stronger storm, though, will follow, with the heaviest period of rain expected during the first part of Friday morning before tapering Saturday night, said meteorologist Andrew Rorke with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.


The storm is expected to douse the coast and valleys with 1 to 2 inches of rain and as much as 4 inches in the mountains.

The storm system will also bring some much needed snow to ski resorts, Rorke said. Weather officials are also closely watching recent burn areas for potential mudslides and runoff, he added.

The mild temperatures L.A. has enjoyed recently will also wash away during the rain, dropping to the low- to mid-60s. Overnight lows could dip into the upper 40s.

So far, L.A. has received about 1.2 inches of rain since July 1. The average is 10.45 inches by this time of year.


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