Los Angeles Winter Storm: 7" of Rain Could Fall Following Snow Event, Flash Flood Warnings In Effect

The Los Angeles area continues to be pummeled with extreme weather conditions thanks to Winter Storm Piper, which could drop as much as 7" of rain after earlier bringing snow to a part of the country that isn't used to seeing flakes in the winter.

The area, which is under a winter storm warning through the mid-afternoon hours Saturday, could see significant rain amounts, and even additional snow after a dusting coated parts of Los Angeles on Thursday, including the Hollywood Sign, and led to a blizzard warning. According to the National Weather Service, warnings remain in effect with both rain and snow, as well as wind, wreaking havoc.

According to ABC 7, as of Friday afternoon, parts of California had already seen anywhere from 1.31" of rain in Oxnard, Ventura County, up to 4.69" in Lompoc, Santa Barbara County. In LA County, the highest amounts of rain at that point had fallen in Pasadena, which saw 3.08". As much as 7" could fall by the storm's end in the foothills.

Snowfall amounts were also high. While most of the area saw a dusting (which is still a rare enough event in Southern California), Mount Wilson, in the Angeles National Forest, had already seen 26" by Friday afternoon.

Piper is expected to travel across the United States this week, and could bring severe thunderstorms in the Central and Southern Plains; freezing rain, sleet and snow in the Great Lakes area and most of the Northeast. A second area of low pressure off the coast of Southern New England could make it an all-snow event there Tuesday, according to the Weather Channel.