Hurricane Marie is expected to stay hundreds of miles offshore of Southern California, but forecasters say the storm will still have a noticeable impact on Labor Day weekend plans across parts of the region, bringing periods of rain, the possibility of thunderstorms, dangerous surf, and an elevated risk of coastal flooding. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), Marie was located about 700 miles south of Point Conception on Saturday evening and is forecast to move west-northwest while gradually weakening. Even so, tropical moisture associated with the system is already affecting Southern California.
"Tropical Cyclone Marie, which will remain well offshore of SoCal, will bring impacts to the region through at least early next week," the NWS said. The most immediate impact for Labor Day weekend is expected to be rainfall across Los Angeles County beginning early Sunday morning and lasting into Sunday evening. Forecasters say most of the rain will be light to moderate, with Los Angeles County seeing the greatest precipitation totals.
Most locations are expected to receive around a quarter-inch of rain or less, though foothill communities in the San Gabriel Valley could see around half an inch, while isolated spots in the eastern San Gabriel Mountains may pick up as much as an inch. The NWS also noted up to a 15 percent chance of thunderstorms across Los Angeles County on Sunday. Any storms that develop could produce locally heavier downpours.
"There is a chance of heavier rain occurring near any thunderstorms that form," forecasters said, adding that tropical moisture from Marie could combine with daytime heating to produce scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms, with some areas receiving brief periods of heavier rain. While widespread flooding is not anticipated, officials warned that roads could become slick after months of dry conditions. The NWS estimates only about a 5 percent chance that rainfall rates will become high enough to cause minor urban flooding in Los Angeles County.
Rain chances may continue beyond the holiday weekend. The NWS said remnant moisture from Marie could support additional showers and isolated thunderstorms Monday and Tuesday, with another round of activity possible later next week. For many Southern Californians marking the unofficial end of summer at the beach, the most significant impacts may come from the ocean rather than the sky.
The NWS warned that "significant coastal impacts are expected across Southern California beaches this Labor Day weekend" as a large southeast-to-south swell generated by Hurricane Marie moves into regional waters. Wave heights on south-facing beaches in Los Angeles and Ventura counties are expected to reach 5 to 8 feet, with some sets potentially approaching 10 feet through Monday. High Surf Advisories remain in effect for those areas.
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