Long Beach Weather: Rain Storm Approaches

Given that it's about 55 degrees at 6 p.m. here in Belmont Shore, the forecast of only 48 as an overnight low seems a bit optimistic.

But we owe it to a cold storm system out of the Gulf of Alaska, which will bring cold rain to the region beginning sometime tonight and lingering through Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.

The storm is expected to drop snow as low as the 3,500-foot level. National Weather Service meteorologists said the storm’s unpredictability makes it hard to say when it will land and what path it may take.

But "confidence is high for a cool and showery pattern to develop across the area some time between Sunday night and Monday and persist until at least Tuesday and possibly Wednesday," according to an NWS advisory.

It said there could be isolated thunderstorms Monday and Monday night.

"Some thunderstorms may contain brief, heavy downpours, dangerous cloud- to-ground lightning, gusty and erratic winds and pea-size hail or graupel (soft hail)," according to the advisory.