

Los Angeles Storm (Photo by Gamma Infinity via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr)

The weather forecast through Friday calls for rain, wind, maybe even thunder and hail throughout Southern California.

A cold, wintry storm from British Columbia is headed this way and is expected to reach us this afternoon and stick around through Friday evening, according to a National Weather Service statement (via City News Service). If the thunderstorms materialize this afternoon, we could see small hail as well—just in time for rush hour!

This rainfall won't wash away the drought. Some areas might not see water at all, others will see less than a quarter-inch but if thunderstorms do develop, we might see as much as a half-inch. That could be a mixed blessing for burn areas, where you might see minor mud and debris flows.

It's going to get a little chilly for May, too, with temperatures in the mid-60s today and tomorrow, dropping to the upper 40s to mid-50s at night.

"It's very unseasonably cold for this time of year," Stuart Seto, a specialist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard, told the Los Angeles Times.

Off the coast, you might see waterspouts. The San Gabriel Mountains could see snow as low as 4,500 feet. The Antelope Valley is expected to get very windy this afternoon and evening until 9 pm with gusts up to 45 mph.