Laguna Beach, California

... Flash Flood Watch in effect through late tonight...

The National Weather Service in San Diego has issued a

* Flash Flood Watch for a portion of southwest California... including
the following areas... Orange County coastal areas... San
Bernardino and Riverside County valleys-the inland Empire and
Santa Ana Mountains and foothills.

* Through late tonight

* periods of moderate rainfall are expected through tonight on top
of soil nearly saturated from recent rainfall. Periods of high
intensity rainfall late this afternoon through tonight from
thunderstorms and heavier showers could increase the potential
for flash flooding.

Precautionary/preparedness actions...

A Flash Flood Watch means that conditions may develop that lead
to flash flooding. Flash flooding is a very dangerous situation.

You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action
should flash flood warnings be issued.

In areas which have seen fires in recent years... debris flows will
be a threat during heavy rains.

... A cold and vigorous storm system will affect southwest California
through early Wednesday...

A cold... compact low pressure system will track southward just off
the California coast today... moving inland across northern baja
tonight.

This system is expected to bring increasing light to locally
moderate precipitation today with snow levels near 4500 to 5000
feet.

The cold front is expected to move through southwest California late
this afternoon through early evening with numerous showers
continuing overnight and decreasing Wednesday. Thunderstorms with
small hail are also possible tonight through early Wednesday. Snow
levels will lower to around 4000 feet early this evening and 3000 to
3500 feet late tonight through early Wednesday.

Snow levels this low could bring snow to the upper deserts and
impact travel on Interstate 15 through the Cajon Pass and Interstate
8 through the San Diego County mountains. Snowfall of 4 to 8 inches
is expected above 5000 feet today in the San Bernardino County
mountains today... with snowfall tonight through early Wednesday of 4
to 8 inches for all mountains from 4000 to 6000 feet... and 8 to 16
inches above 6000 feet with locally greater amounts.

Rainfall amounts are expected to range from near 1 inch at the coast
to 1.5 to 2.5 inches on the coastal mountain slopes with local
amounts to 3.5 inches. Amounts in the deserts of one quarter to one
half inch.

Periods of high intensity precipitation are possible tonight through
early Wednesday from thunderstorms and heavier showers which could
increase the runoff and flooding potential... especially for northern
areas nearly saturated from rainfall from last Friday night and
Saturday. A Flash Flood Watch is posted for these areas through
tonight. In areas which have seen fires in recent years... debris
flows will be a threat during heavy rains.


Martin