After a two-month stretch of some of the driest conditions on record, Long Beach and much of the state are expecting scattered showers today and through the weekend.
In Long Beach, showers are likely today with the chance of a thunderstorm before 10 a.m., according to the National Weather Service. The chances of precipitation Friday are about 70% with the possibility of more rain overnight and a 40% chance of rain on Saturday, the NWS reported.
The rest of California is also ending the week with scattered showers, downpours and snow.
The return of winter weather prompted forecasters to advise people planning mountain travel to be prepared for snowy roads Friday and Saturday in the Sierra Nevada, the Cascades and ranges north and east of Los Angeles.
Travel through the Sierra was already disrupted by a massive boulder that fell onto U.S. Highway 50 at Echo Summit on Thursday. The California Department of Transportation said crews worked through the night to prepare to blow up the rock.
Gusty winds were expected in the San Francisco Bay Area, Monterey Bay and inland areas of Southern California.
Offshore gale warnings and small craft advisories were issued along with high surf advisories for much of the central and south coasts.
The late-season storms follow very dry weather in January and February that left the Sierra snowpack far below normal, renewing calls for water conservation.
The Associated Press and Breaking News Editor Jeremiah Dobruck contributed to this report.