097 FXUS66 KLOX 180403 AFDLOXArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard CA 903 PM PDT Wed Sep 17 2025
.SYNOPSIS...17/124 PM.
It will be warm and muggy through Friday as remnants of tropical storm Mario move into the area. Temperatures will cool through the period but humidities will be much higher than normal. Rain and thunderstorm chances will begin Wednesday night and continue into at least early Friday. Over the weekend into early next week there is slight chance of showers as additional moisture from the south arrives. Temperatures will be near normal and the muggy weather will continue into early next week.
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.SHORT TERM (WED-SAT)...17/902 PM.
***UPDATE***
Today saw quite a bit of convection, with showers and thunderstorms initiating over the mountains of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, spreading into San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties. Activity has quieted down this evening, with the next batch of showers and thunderstorms expected to move into the coastal waters from the south in the early morning hours. However, currently not seeing much of a northerly motion from the southern showers just south of our coastal waters. Lower confidence in timing, as guidance continues to push back the arrival of this rain band, so adjustments may be needed to account for this. Otherwise, the forecast looks on track.
***From Previous Discussion***
Very tropical conditions will dominate the weather conditions across southern California through at least Friday. The leading edge of the moisture and instability arrived this morning triggering isolated showers and thunderstorms as far north as SLO County, but so far mostly confined to the coastal waters and the mountains. As PW`s continue to increase tonight into Thursday and additional triggering factors arrive including better forcing aloft and overall more unstable conditions, showers and thunderstorms will become more widespread and not confined to the higher terrain.
It`s important to understand that this pattern is very different from a traditional winter storm and even from our typical summer afternoon convection. While most areas will get at least some rain, some areas may get little to none, while others just a short distance away could have flooding. A Flash Flood Watch has been issued and begins late tonight and continues until early Friday morning. This is based on the latest CAMs guidance, some of which do show heavy showers developing as early as around 3am Thursday. Models have been consistent showing pockets of very heavy rain once the system is over our area, and some storms could just develop anywhere with little advance notice. So people near sensitive areas, including burn scars, need to be ready to move at a moment`s notice.
While lightning over the coastal waters has dropped off this afternoon, this is a common pattern during the daytime and more strikes are expected again overnight as the deeper moisture arrives.
Shower and thunderstorm chances will decrease later Thursday night into Friday morning and most of the precipitation should be done by Friday afternoon or evening.
Dry and slightly warmer conditions are expected Saturday with more sunshine and lowering humidities.
.LONG TERM (SUN-WED)...17/214 PM.
The most likely outcome for Sunday is a quiet weather day with 2-4 degrees of warming, bringing highs to around normal in most areas. However, there are still a around 10% of the ensemble solutions that show the beginning of another moisture surge from the south and some possible showers and thunderstorms with locally heavy rain. The moisture source comes from the next tropical wave moving off MX. At the same time many of the models are showing another upper low meandering down the West coast along 130n. As the low moves farther south, some of the models are entraining some of the moisture from the tropical wave and bringing it towards southern California. This could happen as early as Sunday afternoon, but more likely not until Monday afternoon. There are a lot of moving parts to this so confidence is very low. For now there are small rain chances both Sunday and Monday.
There are also some solutions that keep the upper low farther offshore, creating strong high pressure over the area with a warming trend. Stay tuned.
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.AVIATION...17/1657Z.
At 1630Z at KLAX, the marine layer depth was around 500 feet. The top of the inversion was 2500 feet with a temperature of 26 degrees Celsius.
Overall, moderate confidence in 18Z TAF package. With surge of subtropical moisture through the period, general VFR conditions are expected at all sites. There will be the potential for widespread showers and scattered thunderstorms at all sites through the period. This shower/thunderstorm activity could produce brief period of IFR to MVFR CIG/VSBY restrictions.
KLAX...Moderate confidence in 18Z TAF. There is a 20% chance of thunderstorms after 00Z which could bring brief periods of IFR to MVFR conditions. There is a 20% chance of easterly winds around 7 knots after 06Z.
KBUR...Moderate confidence in 18Z TAF. There is a 20% chance of thunderstorms after 00Z which could bring brief periods of IFR to MVFR conditions.
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.MARINE...17/820 PM.
The remnants of former Tropical Storm Mario will affect the Southern California coastal waters through Friday. Showers and scattered thunderstorms can be expected through Friday with the highest chances of impacts through Thursday night. Any thunderstorms that develop will be capable of gusty and erratic winds, locally rough seas, frequent and dangerous lightning and brief heavy rain. Additionally, waterspouts cannot be ruled out entirely. Please monitor the forecast if you have any plans on going out on the water this week.
Low confidence in forecast for winds and seas overnight into Thursday morning, then moderate confidence thereafter. Small Craft Advisory (SCA) level winds and choppy will likely continue across the waters from Point Conception to San Nicolas Island, and across the Southern California Bight overnight into the early morning hours. Winds may shift in direction and speed rapidly as the system continues to move through the region. Then, moderate confidence in sub- advisory conditions through Saturday morning. Winds will increase and approach SCA levels Saturday afternoon through at least Monday night, with relative lulls each morning. Strongest winds will be initially focused from Point Conception to San Nicolas Island and the western portion of the Santa Barbara Channel, then expanding to the rest of the outer waters and nearshore Central Coast waters Sunday, although there is a low chance of SCA level winds in this area Saturday evening.
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.LOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CA...Flood Watch in effect from 5 AM PDT Thursday through late Thursday night for zones 38-344-345-353-362-369-370-376>383-548. (See LAXFFALOX). PZ...NONE.
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PUBLIC...Phillips/MW AVIATION...RAT MARINE...Lewis SYNOPSIS...MW
weather.gov/losangeles
Experimental Graphical Hazardous Weather Outlook at: https://www.weather.gov/erh/ghwo?wfo=lox
NWS LOX Office Area Forecast Discussion