Meteorologists with the National Weather Service reported the storm that dropped several inches of rain was on its way out of town Friday evening and the forecast calls for dry times through Boxing Day.
Before the storm left town, it dropped nearly 3.6 inches of rainfall in the Newhall Pass, according to Dave Bruno, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
The multiday rain total for the storm technically starts Tuesday evening for some areas, he said, but the precipitation really started Wednesday evening, and by Friday had largely cleared.
“It looks like it’s mostly done and (Saturday) it should be dry, and dry at least through the middle of the week,” he added.
The rainfall totals were expected to vary because of the nature of the convective system, according to Rose Schoenfeld, who’s also an NWS meteorologist. Mesoscale convective systems are “organized, multicellular thunderstorm systems that have a strong impact on heavy rainfall and severe weather,” according to the NWS website. The size of the systems, which are at least 45 miles long, mean they can produce varying pockets of precipitation.
In addition to the Newhall Pass, the totals listed by the weather service for the three-day totals included: Castaic Junction, 3 inches; Saugus, 2.73 inches; and 2.6 inches at the Del Valle station.
The truck route near the Interstate 5 and Highway 14 interchange is still listed as closed while work is being done to clear debris, but a California Highway Patrol official said the road is expected to be reopened Saturday once the storm has passed.
