Here comes the sun, forecast says

After series of strong storms, Southland is expected to stay dry for days

- BY HANNAH FRY

It’s finally time to stash away those rain boots — at least for a little while.

After a sopping start to the new year, Southern California’s persistent drizzle is expected to wrap up by late Tuesday, ushering in a period of dry conditions, warmer temperatures and even some Santa Ana winds by the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

“By the end of the month, there might be another chance of some rain moving in, but right now — at least for the next couple weeks — it should be dry,” said Rich Thompson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.

It’s not yet clear just how strong the Santa Ana winds might be, but Thompson said there is some risk of downed trees given the saturated soils from weeks of rain. But that also means the risk of fire weather that typically accompanies the winds will be low, he said.

Southern California has experienced a historic start to the water year, which began Oct. 1, with storms soaking the region each month and back-to-back systems walloping the mountains and foothills over the Christmas and New Year's holidays.

But the short-term forecast after Tuesday’s rain will be markedly different.