California weather: Rain returns to Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES - The first storm of the spring season hit the Los Angeles area Saturday morning. The rain is expected to linger into Sunday.

The National Weather Service described this storm as more "modest" in terms of rainfall amounts, particularly when compared to the other storms Southern California has seen this calendar year.

"The forecast is now calling for a quarter to a half inch of rain south of Point Conception for the weekend and a half to one inch north," said the National Weather Service. "The Saturday rain will be fairly quick in duration, lasting only a few hours in any one location, starting overnight along the Central Coast, around sunrise in Ventura, and an hour or two later in L.A. County."

Snow levels will be around 6,000 feet, so officials do not expect an impact Saturday on the major mountain roads, including the Grapevine.

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Following the rain, gusty west winds will kick up across coastal areas and the Antelope Valley, though likely below advisory levels, according to the National Weather Service.

Cooler daytime temperatures are expected, too, with highs of 61 forecast in downtown Los Angeles both Saturday and Sunday. Overnight lows will stay in the 40s and lower 50s, dipping into the upper 30s Sunday night in the Antelope Valley.

Some additional light showers are expected Sunday as well, the National Weather Service said.

Meteorologists expect the rain to move on by Monday, with partially cloudy skies and mild weather in store for most of the week before the possible return of more rain on Friday.

City News Service contributed to this report.