Rains coming to L.A. -- but less than originally expected [Updated]

Rains will hit Southern California on Saturday, but it's going to be a significantly lighter storm than forecasters originally predicted.

The National Weather Service says the storm is stalled off the coast but is expected to move in sometime this afternoon. Scattered shows could continue into Sunday morning. [Updated at 9:18 a.m.: Rain was beginning to fall in some coastal areas as the storm was moving ashore.]

Conditions should dry out by Sunday afternoon, in time for the Academy Awards.

The weather service now predicts about half an inch of rain from the system. Earlier forecasts had called for up to 2 inches.

So far, there have been no evacuations in foothill communities prone to flooding after last year's huge Station fire. Officials have been racing to clear debris basins above those communities.

-- Shelby Grad

Comments

[Paul]

As I sit here looking at sunny blue skies with nothing to do because I cancelled my event, due to the horrendous rain we were due. I can't help but wonder if we'd have a more accurate forecast if we picked the weather forecast randomly out of a top hat.

[Michael Rotman]

What do you mean "we" Kimosabe,