National Weather Service

The good news: Forecasters no longer expect rain on Saturday. The bad news: Rain is almost guaranteed on Sunday, and now weather specialists say the storm will be more powerful than initially anticipated. An official from the National Weather Service said Friday that residents should expect a 90% chance of rain downtown Sunday, and forecasters predict a half-inch to 1½ inches of rainfall again this weekend. That's the same amount weather service officials predicted a week ago when the biggest storm of the winter pummeled the area Saturday.

The weekend storm is gone and temperatures will warm up as the week progresses, the National Weather Service said Monday. Residents can expect rain and snow to stop if it hasn't already, and skies should be clear until at least Friday, said NWS weather specialist Stuart Seto. Monday will see highs of 60 downtown; temperatures are expected to spike to 68 on Tuesday and remain in the upper 60s the rest of the week. In the tri-city region, daytime highs are expected to hit the mid-70s by midweek, according to the weather service.

Temperatures across the tri-city area be six to 10 degrees above normal today as a high pressure system brings winds northeast winds that could reach 25 mph, according to the National Weather Service. A wind advisory is in effect for the foothills of east San Fernando Valley until noon today, with possible wind gusts of up to 50 mph, the weather service warned. Temperatures in the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena area could hit the mid-80s today, and stay above the 80-degree mark on Thursday.

Warm weather is returning to much of Los Angeles, with highs reaching the 70s in inland areas Tuesday and perhaps near 80 on Wednesday. Beaches will be slightly cooler, staying in the 60s Tuesday and reaching near 70 Wednesday. But enjoy the warm, sunny weather while it lasts. By the weekend, maximum temperatures "will drop like a rock with most locations not even getting out of the 60s," the National Weather Service said. Low, cool clouds and fog that hug the coast are expected to return later in the week.

Wind gusts up to 45 mph were reported in Los Angeles and Ventura counties as a cold front moved across the region Monday night, forecasters said. The winds were expected to weaken by Tuesday morning, but snow levels could fall as low as 3,000 feet and create problems for drivers along the Grapevine and California 14, the National Weather Service said. By Monday night, less than 2 inches of snow had been reported near the Tejon Pass on the Grapevine, the weather service said.

Low pressures systems moving through the region this week are expected to keep the skies mostly gray, bringing them the possibility of rain through at least Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. In the tri-city area, there's a 40% chance of rain through this evening, before clouds taper off tomorrow. Then on Wednesday, a new system will bring mostly cloudy skies and a chance of rain throughout the day. Things will clear up a bit through Saturday, before a 20% of rain on Sunday, according to the weather service.

The warming trend continues today, with temperatures in the tri-city area expected to hit 80 degrees, but the summer-like weather won't last long. Temperatures will drop sharply over the weekend, according to the National Weather Service, with daytime highs in the lower-60s as troughs of low pressure move through the region. By Monday, partly cloudy skies will bring a 20% chance of rain and thunderstorms through Tuesday, the weather service said. -- Jason Wells, Times Community News Twitter: @JasonBretWells Photo : Satellite image of Western U.S. Credit: National Weather Service.

A light rainstorm is heading toward Southern California, expected to arrive in time to muddy the Tuesday commute. The cool weather system could bring 0.25 to 0.75 inch of rain to the L.A. Basin, and more than one inch in the mountains, the National Weather Service said. L.A.'s high temperatures will dip into the 60s, and forecasters expected winds of up to 25 mph. Nearby ski resorts are not expected to receive much snow - - the San Bernardino County mountains were forecast to see just an inch of fresh powder, forecasters said.

High pressure is expected to bring warmer weather and northeast winds up to 45 mph later this week, forecasters said. Above-normal temperatures may last through the weekend before the ridge of high pressure begins to weaken, the National Weather Service said. By Friday, temperatures in coastal and valley areas of Los Angeles and Ventura counties are expected to reach the mid 70s and could be slightly warmer on Saturday, the weather service said. Continue reading > > -- Robert J. Lopez, Los Angeles Times

The National Weather Service is warning that the expected onslaught of fierce Santa Ana winds on Friday will heighten the threat of brush fires. The dry, gusty winds prompted the weather service to issue a red-flag warning for Ventura and Los Angeles counties. The warning signifies critical brush-fire conditions. The warning is in effect from 8 p.m. Friday to 6 p.m. Saturday. Gusts in the mountain areas were expected to be 60 mph to 70 mph, the agency said. The winds could gust up to 55 mph in valley and coastal areas.