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Summer rains. Ripping waves. Wretched stretch of heat and humidity. After a year that’s so far seen every kind of weather, Long Beach may get a bit of a lucky break. Forecasters are projecting a couple of little storms but otherwise fair skies for us over the next week.
Forecasts originally had Long Beach included in the string of Pacific storms that experts warned would bring heavy rain, high surf and potential flooding to the region from Thursday to next Saturday.
But projections have dropped for Long Beach, according to Ryan Kittell, wth the National Weather Service in Oxnard. The risk of heavy rain in the city has fallen to “near zero,” he said Friday.
Rain began Thursday and continued in scattered amounts Friday, combing for less than a quarter inch of total rainfall. Conditions are expected to taper off by 9 a.m. Saturday, with some light showers amounting to .1 inches over the weekend.
A second system could bring a light drizzle Monday afternoon into the evening, followed by a sunny break on Tuesday. And a third storm could arrive Wednesday night into Friday, bringing less than half an inch combined with a 20% chance it doesn’t show up at all. Winds could reach 15 to 25 miles per hour tonight and 20 to 30 mph Tuesday.
Long Beach has received 0.94 inches of rain since Oct. 1, about two-tenths of an inch above normal, Kittell said. Peak rain season runs from December to February.
Temperatures should be cool through the week, dropping to the low 50s in the mornings and evenings and reaching the mid-to-high 60s throughout the week.
Surf is also expected Friday to Tuesday but for west-facing beaches; Long Beach, shielded by its rock jetties and breakwater, is likely to be spared the worst.
The forecast is a relief as the city continues rebuilding along the Peninsula, where high tides and waves damaged the boardwalk and bulkhead and battered seaside homes. Seven buildings containing 12 residences remain red-tagged, meaning they are unsafe to enter, the city said.
A $11.4 million project to dredge about 415,000 cubic yards of sand from the Alamitos Bay entrance channel and place it on Peninsula beach began Oct. 20 and is expected to continue through February.
The next test is Thanksgiving week. The first king tides of the season are forecast for Nov. 24 through 26. Officials expect them to reach low-lying areas including Naples and the Peninsula after record-breaking tides last month. Kittell said minor flood advisories are likely for the Naples Island area, inside the harbor.
Forecasting beyond that is difficult, he said, because wind, waves and water temperatures are unknown. “People can certainly prepare now,” he said, urging residents in vulnerable areas to pick up the city’s free sandbags.