Rain, and more coming

An unusually wet December got even wetter Saturday night as another winter storm showered southern California, dropping more than an inch of rain in the foothills.

And it's not over yet, with the National Weather Service forecasting a 50% chance of rain Tuesday night and a 70% chance of rain on Wednesday.

The most recent storm, which began about 6 p.m. Saturday, continued into the early morning hours on Sunday before it dissipated, giving way to a cool, cloudy day.

Flood advisories were in effect in the Station fire burn areas, including La Crescenta, La Cañada Flintridge, Tujunga and Sunland until 3 a.m. Sunday. But Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department officials reported no rain-related damage.

The storm followed closely on the heels of six days of rain that pounded southern California through Wednesday last week, triggering evacuations in La Cañada and La Crescenta and causing serious damage in Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

Residents in the Station fire burn areas remain vulnerable to debris flows, one of the lasting ill effects of the August 2009 fire. Many have spent thousands of dollars building fortifications in an effort to protect their homes.

On February 6, La Cañada's Paradise Valley neighborhood was ravaged when the Mullally debris basin crested during a deluge, sending mud and rocks spewing down Ocean View Boulevard.

During the summer months, Los Angeles County Public Works crews increased the capacity of six of the area's 28 debris basins in anticipation of the 2010-11 winter season. Thus far, they have been performing as designed, said spokesman Bob Spencer.

The basins remained on average at about 85% available capacity following the most recent rain, Spencer said. Public Works crews are schedule to start today excavating Mullally debris basin, a process that will take about one week, Spencer said.