Venice Area Gets .59 Inch, Rain to Return Thursday

The first in a pair of late-season storms doused the Southland today, but the rain is expected to clear out this afternoon before another storm moves into the area Thursday.

National Weather Service forecasters did warn that the combination of stronger April sun and lingering, low levels of mositure, might produce more showers and mountain snow into the early afternoon Wednesday.

The rainfall, which developed after midnight, occurred over a wide area —including downtown L.A., Long Beach, parts of Orange County and the San Fernando Valley—with varying intensity, light in most places but heavy in others.

Los Angeles International Airport received 0.59 inches of rain, UCLA saw 0.72 inches of rain and 0.9 inches fell on Bel Air through 11 a.m. Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.

"Another colder storm will bring rain and mountain snow to the area Thursday night and Friday," Weather Service forecasters said. "It will then be dry with a warming trend over the weekend."

Temperatures will inch up near 59 degrees in Venice on Thursday with mostly sunny skies and forecasters predict showers Thursday night with an overnight low of 51 degrees. Friday will be even chillier with a high near 56 degrees and showers with an overnight low around 48 degrees.

More winds, and snow between 4,000 and 5,000 feet, are also in the forecast. But the precipitation is expected to end Friday night with showers, ushering in a return of dry weather.

Forecasters expect the weather to be mostly sunny Saturday with a high near 59 and sunny Sunday with a high near 61 degrees.

— City News Service contributed to this report.