Santa Ana winds gusted across much of Southern California on Monday, beginning a week of unsettled weather that is expected to include more rain in the saturated region, including the likelihood of precipitation falling on the normally sunny Rose Parade in Pasadena.
A high wind warning was in effect until 3 p.m. for the western Santa Monica and San Gabriel mountains, along with the Golden State (5) and Antelope Valley (14) freeway corridors, with the National Weather Service forecasting 25 to 40 mph winds gusting up to 60 mph, with localized gusts of up to 75 mph possible at high elevations. A less severe wind advisory will cover the same areas until 8 p.m.
A wind advisory will also be in place until 8 p.m. in the Santa Clarita and San Fernando valleys, eastern Santa Monica and San Gabriel mountains, Calabasas and Malibu. Winds of 20 to 30 mph were anticipated in those areas, with gusts of up to 45 mph possible.
According to the NWS, the winds were expected to peak Monday, then dwindle in strength into Tuesday.
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The windy conditions will give way to rain by mid-week, with the NWS calling for "periods of light to moderate rain" beginning Wednesday or Wednesday night and continuing into Saturday. Forecasters said roughly 1 to 3 inches of rain is possible by week's end in coastal and valley areas, with 2 to 5 inches possible in the mountains.
Given last week's storms that saturated the ground in many areas, authorities again warned of possible mud and debris flows from the upcoming rain.
According to The Weather Channel, there is a 77% chance of rain in Pasadena for New Year's Eve and 98% on New Year's Day -- raising the possibility of a soggy Rose Parade. If the forecast holds, it will be the first time rain has fallen on the floral procession since 2006. The parade has traditionally managed to avoid precipitation, with rain dampening the event less than a dozen times in its previous 136 years.
NWS forecasters said people heading for the parade should expect to get wet.
"... The chances of a wet New Year's parade, and including the night before when people came out before the parade, are extremely high, 80-90% at this point," forecasters said in a statement Monday afternoon.
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