843 FXUS66 KLOX 131032 AFDLOXArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard CA 332 AM PDT Mon Oct 13 2025
.SYNOPSIS...13/330 AM.
An early season storm system in the Pacific Northwest will dig south into the region through Tuesday. Periods of rain and high elevation snow, heavy at times, will develop from north to south from this afternoon through Tuesday. Gusty southerly winds are likely to develop this evening through Tuesday ahead of and along the system`s cold front. Cooler temperatures with drier conditions will linger into Thursday, then a warming trend will develop for the end of the week.
&&
.SHORT TERM (TDY-WED)...13/329 AM.
The latest satellite imagery shows an upper-level trough digging south off the Oregon coast early this morning. A cold frontal boundary can be seen stretching from near Portland, Oregon out to the southwest and west. This frontal boundary and the associated upper-level trough will dig south through Tuesday, bottoming out over Central California Tuesday afternoon. Light to moderate pre- frontal rain could start over the Southland as early as this evening, but the heaviest rainfall is expected along the cold front, which will arrive along the Central Coast late this afternoon and early this evening. With high-resolution multi-model ensemble members all indicating rain spreading over the region spreading north to south from this afternoon through Tuesday afternoon, PoPs have been nudged higher to between 90 and 100 percent along the frontal boundary. Virtually every location in the four county area will receive measurable rainfall through Tuesday morning.
Storm total rainfall amounts are expected to range from 0.75 inch to 1.50 inches for the coastal and valleys with up 1.50 to 3.00 inches in the mountains. Local amounts to 4.00 inches are possible along south-facing slopes across the Southland and into Santa Ynez Range in Santa Barbara County. There is less certainty with convective elements of the band, but there is moderate to high confidence that a burst of heavy rainfall with a quasi-linear convective system (QLCS) will develop overnight tonight into Tuesday. Rainfall totals could go higher than the range stated if the front slows down over the region and could be less than the range stated if the front accelerates through the region. A difluent flow pattern aloft will aid lift as the front approaches the region and possibly allow for isolated thunderstorms to develop. Rainfall rates will generally range between 0.25-0.50 inch per hour, but some of the higher resolution models continue to indicate potentially higher rates of 0.50-1.00 inch per hour or greater. Sub-hourly rates could be quite intense with the possibility that some locations could receive a third to two- thirds of an inch of rainfall in a very short time. A Flood Watch remains in effect for the recent burn areas from 8 pm tonight through 3 pm Tuesday as rainfall rates could reach or exceed USGS thresholds for area burn scars. Significant mud and debris flows from recent burn scars, including the Gifford, Madre, Lake, Palisades, Franklin, Eaton, and Bridge burn scars could develop.
With the difluent flow pattern aloft and the thunderstorm potential in place, periods of heavy rainfall, dangerous lightning, and gusty winds will be in play with this storm. Marginal wind shear parameters are present for the potential for weak tornadoes or waterspouts to develop tonight along the Central Coast and late tonight and early Tuesday morning along the South Coast of California. Slightly more favorable directional and speed shear develops across the Southland after midnight tonight through mid- morning on Tuesday. The topographic features of the Los Angeles Basin and the Greater South Coast Basin can enhance wind shear parameters and aid tornadic development in storms. As colder air mass aloft moves into the region on Tuesday afternoon and evening, the potential for brief heavy downpours with small hail could enter the picture, while gusty and erratic winds and dangerous lightning will continue to be hazards.
Southerly winds will increase through today and tonight ahead of the front. There is the possibility of high wind warning level winds across the mountains tonight and into Tuesday morning, especially given the possibility of the QLCS moving over the region tonight. Downburst winds with the convective system, should it develop, could down trees, tree limbs, and power lines. For now, a wind advisory was added for the Antelope Valley and adjacent foothills from noon today through 10 pm tonight for pre- frontal winds. The greatest area of concern would be the potential for mountain wave activity along the interior slopes of the San Gabriel Mountains this afternoon and evening. Foothill communities such as Valyermo, Pearblossom, Crystalaire, and Lake Palmdale may be particularly vulnerable given the wind direction.
With colder air aloft moving in along the front, light to moderate snowfall accumulations are possible above the 6000 foot elevation level and when combined with the winds along the front, travel could end up being treacherous at times on high mountain roadways, such as the Angeles Crest Highway and Lockwood Valley Road. A Winter Weather Advisory was considered for the higher elevations of the San Gabriel Mountains and the Ventura County mountains, but given the marginal conditions, the decision was tabled for now to allow for more data to arrive. Snowfall amounts could range between 1 and 4 inches with this storm with isolated amounts up to 6 inches.
There is an outside chance that the shower threat could linger across the Los Angeles Basin into Wednesday as the trailing vort max moves over the region. Drier conditions should develop through the day with cooler temperatures lingering across the region for Wednesday.
.LONG TERM (THU-SUN)...13/331 AM.
Weak to locally moderate offshore flow should set up between Wednesday night and into Thursday morning. Currently, winds look to be sub-advisory for Thursday morning and no advisories looks to issued. The first frost of the season could occur for some interior valley and wind sheltered areas on Thursday morning as clear skies will make radiative cooling processes much more efficient. Patchy frost was added to a few spots in the Antelope Valley and the San Luis Obispo County interior valleys, but this will need to looked at closer as we move forward into the week.
Otherwise, high pressure aloft building into the region will bring a warming trend for late week. Temperatures could warm to near normal on Friday or Saturday.
&&
.AVIATION...13/0615Z.
At 0403Z at KLAX, the marine layer was 1500 ft deep. The top of the inversion was near 2000 ft with a temperature of 19 C.
Low confidence in the 06Z TAFs for the coastal and valleys sites and high confidence in the desert sites.
Expecting SHRA/RA after 00Z Tue along Central Coast with MVFR conditions and periods of low-MVFR to IFR under worst conditions. Around a 30% chance of TSRA during this timeframe for KPRB, KSBP, & KSMX. Brief LIFR conditions cannot be ruled out. In addition, there is a 10% chance of TSRA for KSBA after 03Z Tuesday.
LLWS and turbulence is possible as front approaches and near any thunderstorms that develops.
Low to moderate confidence in wind forecasts. Wind gusts may be off 5 to 10 knots and/or direction off by 30 degrees, especially for coast and valley sites after 00Z Tuesday - as front approaches.
KLAX...Low to moderate confidence in the 06Z TAF. MVFR CIGs ~015 - 025 forecast to arrive around 09Z Mon (+/- 2 hours), with a 25% chance that no CIGs occur. There is a 70% chance of an east wind component reaching 7-8 knots from 08Z Mon thru 18Z Mon.
In addition, there is a 15% chc of a thunderstorm after 10Z Tue.
KBUR...High confidence in the 06Z TAF. VFR conditions expected thru forecast period, but with a 10-20% chance of MVFR CIGs during the overnight period, most likely between 10Z-16Z. 30% chance of -SHRA & MVFR CIGS ~025 after 03Z Tuesday
&&
.MARINE...13/154 AM.
Monday afternoon through Tuesday afternoon, a storm system and associated cold front will move across the region. This will bring a 20-40% chance of thunderstorms across all the coastal waters during that timeframe.
Small Craft Advisory (SCA) level winds and seas will continue across the outer waters through Monday morning. SCA winds could linger into the early afternoon hours across PZZ676. Increasing south to southwest winds are then expected to pick up Monday afternoon as the cold front approaches from the north. Strong SCA winds are expected along with the front, then decreasing from the west behind the front Tuesday and Tuesday night. Wednesday through Thursday increasing NW winds will likely reach SCA levels once again. Best chances south of Point Conception.
For the inner waters south of Point Conception, isolated gusts to 21 kts are possible near Point Dume & across the San Pedro Channel Monday morning. Monday night and Tuesday increasing S to SW winds to SCA levels are expected across the area as the front approaches.
Any thunderstorm that forms may be capable of frequent cloud to surface lightning, gusty and erratic winds, small hail, and even a waterspout. Additionally, widespread SCA level SW winds and seas, with a moderate chance of GALES between Monday night and Tuesday night due to the aforementioned storm.
&&
.LOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CA...Flood Watch remains in effect from this evening through Tuesday afternoon for zones 38-88-342-344-345-348-353-355-358-362-368>375-377>380-548. (See LAXFFALOX). Wind Advisory in effect from noon today to 10 PM PDT this evening for zones 381>383. (See LAXNPWLOX). PZ...Small Craft Advisory in effect until 9 AM PDT this morning for zones 645-670. (See LAXMWWLOX). Small Craft Advisory in effect until 10 AM PDT this morning for zone 673. (See LAXMWWLOX). Small Craft Advisory in effect until noon PDT today for zone 676. (See LAXMWWLOX).
&&
$$
PUBLIC...Hall AVIATION...Black MARINE...Black/Ciliberti SYNOPSIS...Hall
weather.gov/losangeles
Experimental Graphical Hazardous Weather Outlook at: https://www.weather.gov/erh/ghwo?wfo=lox
NWS LOX Office Area Forecast Discussion