The Santa Clarita Valley’s skies are expected to clear up by the weekend, but gusty winds and cool temperatures are still to be expected, according to a spokesman with the National Weather Service.
The Thursday afternoon rain was expected to continue into the night and early morning Friday, said Ryan Lewis, a meteorologist with the NWS. The SCV is expecting anywhere from one-half to 1 inch of rain, with higher amounts of rainfall in the foothills and mountain areas, he added.
Although gusty winds are to be expected, Lewis reassured that these winds are not significant fire weather concerns due to the colder temperatures and higher humidity. Winds are expected to be as high as 30 mph and as low as 10 mph.
“After tomorrow, we’re expecting the weekend to be fairly dry,” he said. “It’ll be relatively cool, but the overnight temperatures look to be pretty cool in the low 40s, even upper 30s in some areas.”
Lewis added that fog shouldn’t be a concern for the Santa Clarita Valley, but the rainfall itself can cause significant visibility issues when driving on the road.
Ways commuters can stay safe during the heavier rainfall are to “keep your space,” from other vehicles, “don’t use your high beams as it can blind drivers and also yourself as it reflects off the rain” and to avoid vulnerable areas that can have minor flooding, Lewis said.
The upcoming forecast is as follows:
• Tonight: Rain. Low around 55. Breezy, with south winds 15 to 20 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
• Friday: Rain before 10 a.m., then a chance of showers, mainly between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. High near 61. West southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
• Friday night: A 20% chance of showers before 10 p.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 39. North wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
• Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 65. Breezy, with a north wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
