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Christmas Eve Forecast Looking Soggy And Cold

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Last-minute Christmas shoppers should take along an umbrella as rain is expected this week, along with high winds, forecasters said Monday.

A number of storms will cross the state, and the highest chances of rain resulting from their passage will be from Santa Barbara County northward and in the San Gabriel Mountains in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, according to the National Weather Service.

Also expected were "moderate to locally strong northwest winds" over the mountains and through the Antelope Valley Tuesday into Wednesday.

A colder system is expected to drop southward across California on Thursday, which will likely trigger light to moderate rainfall, forecasters said.

"However, the main impact from this storm will be much colder air and increasing northerly winds Thursday night into Friday," the NWS statement said.

A warning remained in place Monday for people heading to Los Angeles County beaches, with health officials warning that bacteria from the weekend rain could make swimmers sick near storm drains, creeks and rivers flowing into the ocean.

The county Department of Public Health issued a rain advisory that will remain in effect until at least 6 p.m. Tuesday as a result of the weekend precipitation. The advisory could be extended, however, with more rain expected this week.

Health officials warned anyone venturing into the water to avoid swimming or surfing near discharging storm drains, rivers and creeks that are likely carrying bacteria and debris to the ocean.

The approaching weather systems will create a potential for snowfall as low as 3,000 feet and for icy road conditions for holiday travelers on mountain roadways, especially the Interstate 5 Corridor, the statement said, adding the storms will also bring a long period of elevated-to-high surf to the Central Coast, where there could be minor coastal flooding.

(©2015 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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