Storm system heads toward drought-stricken California

SAN FRANCISCO — A cold, windy storm that originated in the Gulf of Alaska was expected to move into the San Francisco Bay Area before heading to Southern California, providing rainy relief to a drought-stricken state.

Showers could dump a quarter inch of rain early Thursday on parts of Northern California before it winds down in the late afternoon, National Weather Service forecaster Diana Henderson said.

"Even using the word, 'storm,' is probably hyperbole," she said.

But that won't be true when it sweeps through Southern California, where it will pack a bigger punch.

A cold front could bring an initial period of steady rain by Thursday afternoon, followed Friday by an unstable low pressure system accompanied by scattered showers and possible thunderstorms, National Weather Service meteorologist Ryan Kittell said.

Up to a half-inch of rain could fall in and around downtown Los Angeles, while foothill neighborhoods might see about an inch. Flooding and debris flows are possible if thunderstorms form over foothill areas stripped bare by recent wildfires.

In the mountains, the storm may dump up to two inches of snow as low as 5,000 feet.

Kittell said a mid-May storm packing so much moisture in Southern California is rare. Southern California got a similar dousing last week.

"Typically now we see our May Gray and June Gloom season, with low clouds and some drizzle, but no actual storm," he said.

But don't expect the dousing to ease the state's worsening water shortage, Kittell said.

"It won't have any huge impact on the drought, but any little bit will help, especially if we get some snow in the mountains," he said.