Wet 2 days predicted

Stefanie Frith

The rain has only just begun.

According to National Weather Service forecasters, the rain will

“really get going” today, end by Wednesday and pick up again for the

weekend. An inch or two of rain is expected through Wednesday, with highs

in the upper 50s and lows in the upper 40s.

If those chilly temperatures don’t keep boaters ashore, a small boat

advisory being issued by the Coast Guard should, with swells expected to

be around 5 feet today, Coast Guard Petty Officer Foree Cooley said.

The waves will only be a taste of the wet weather that is coming.

“When the cold air comes in from behind, we will end up with showers

and thunderstorms” until Wednesday, said National Weather Service

meteorologist Frank O’Leary. “The rain won’t end until after March. This

is just our normal rainfall.”

Newport Beach Lifeguard Lt. Gordon Reed said the cold, rainy weather

has kept visitors away from the beaches and surfers out of the water,

which hasn’t been this cold in about 20 years, something Reed attributes

to the La Nina phenomena.

“Normally, from November to March, the water is about 56 to 63

degrees, but this is the first time in 15 to 20 years that the water is

staying at 52 to 56 degrees,” Reed said.

Although the cold, windy and rainy weather isn’t good for beachgoers,

Reed said it definitely keeps the wildlife happy.

“The more rain, the better. The more rain, the more birds lay eggs.

The more birds that lay eggs, the more quail there are,” Reed said.