Westwood Gets .72 Inches, Rain to Return Thursday

The first in a pair of late-season storms doused the Southland today, but the rain is expected to clear out this afternoon before another storm moves into the area Thursday.

National Weather Service Forecasters did warn that the combination of stronger April sun and lingering, low levels of mositure, might produce more showers and mountain snow into the early afternoon on Wednesday.

The rainfall, which developed after midnight, occurred over a wide area —including downtown L.A., Long Beach, parts of Orange County and the San Fernando Valley—with varying intensity, light in most places but heavy in others.

UCLA saw 0.72 inches of rain and 0.9 inches fell on Bel Air through 11 a.m. Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.

"Another colder storm will bring rain and mountain snow to the area Thursday night and Friday," Weather Service forecasters said. "It will then be dry with a warming trend over the weekend."

Temperatures will inch up near 60 degrees in Westwood and Century City with nighttime lows dipping to 50 degrees. Friday will be even chillier.

More winds, and snow between 4,000 and 5,000 feet, are also in the forecast. But the precipitation is expected to end Friday night with showers, ushering in a return of dry weather.

— City News Service contributed to this report.