Rain

LOS ANGELES — A fast-moving storm approaching from the northwest will move through Southern California late Tuesday night and early Wednesday. The storm should tap into deep moisture, resulting in a period of moderate to heavy rain, according to a bulletin issued Monday by the National Weather Service. The snow level will be near 6,000 feet to 6,500 feet, and then lower rapidly behind the cold front to about 4,000 feet. However, most of the significant rain will be over by the time the snow level lowers to 4,000 feet.

NEWPORT BEACH - Many on the Champions Tour say they love to play the Toshiba Classic because it's in Newport Beach. They enjoy the shops and restaurants nearby, and most of all they enjoy the sunny weather. The latter doesn't look as if it will hold up this weekend. Some of the biggest names from golf's past will try to get in three rounds in the 18th Toshiba Classic at Newport Beach Country Club. First-round play begins Friday at 10 a.m. The first tee time has been moved up on Saturday to 8 a.m. because of the threat of heavy rain.

All public athletic fields were expected to remain closed to sporting activities until Thursday or Friday because Tuesday's morning rain caused muddy conditions, said Mike Ferris of Newport Beach's Park Patrol. A combination of safety concerns and preventive measures to lessen damage to the fields were reasons for their temporary closure, Ferris said. For more information, call the city's park patrol at (949) 795-2381. — Lauren Williams

Fourteen years ago, South Coast Repertory produced the world premiere of "Three Days of Rain," solidifying a budding relationship with its author, Richard Greenberg, who went on to unveil eight other plays on the SCR stage, as well as several others elsewhere. That seminal drama, "Three Days of Rain," is back at South Coast Rep in a stirring, thought-provoking revival painstakingly directed by David Emmes with a trio of superb performers taking the reins. It may linger a bit for some tastes during the second-act sequence in which its first act is explained, but the portrayals remain riveting.

The players at the Toshiba Classic will most likely face big-time challenges with rain expected Saturday. The weather also figures to be a challenge for the volunteers at Newport Beach Country Club. Brian Horn, the Toshiba Classic volunteer chairman, said there are close to 800 volunteers at this year's Toshiba. The challenge for them will be scheduling. If there are delays on Saturday that could ruin plans for many of the volunteers, who are assigned a set amount of hours throughout the day. "We can't stress about what we can't control," Horn said of the rain.

The largest storm to hit California this season brought more than an inch of rain to Newport-Mesa by the end of Monday, weather experts said. “Some [storms] hit Southern California or Northern California, but this one hit the entire state,” said National Weather Service forecaster Stan Wasowski. From the past weekend through Monday, experts predict between an inch and an inch and a half of rain will have showered Newport-Mesa and the rest of the county. Orange County averages about 3 inches of rain in February, Wasowski said.

The National Weather Service on Saturday expected the high winds and heavy rain to continue into this morning. Late autumn storms dropped about .11 inches of rain on the Newport-Mesa area on Saturday morning. Forecasters predicted the skies would eventually clear up this afternoon with a high near 61 degrees. Police in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa reported only minor traffic accidents on Saturday due to the weather and no problems with flooding. Several large outdoor events scheduled for local parks were rained out on Saturday.

Weekend showers are over, but rainy weather could return to the area as early as Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. “[Today] we should just have some clouds sticking around for decoration,” according to forecaster Stan Wasowski. There is a slight chance of rain Wednesday and a greater possibility of showers Friday and Saturday, Wasowski said. Over the weekend, the central coast of Orange County received 1.4 inches of rain as measured at John Wayne Airport.

With the rain beginning to fall Friday night, weather experts predicted showers could still come sometime today. A low-pressure system in the area brings the possibility of slight rain or even a thunderstorm, National Weather Service forecaster Ted MacKechnie said. Even if it rains, however, it isn't likely to pour. The most rain to be expected is about a quarter-inch, MacKechnie said. "This low pressure's not very moist, so maybe a quarter-inch [would fall] in some places, but it's not the kind of storm that would put widespread rain in most areas," he said.

NEWPORT BEACH - The match already had been rescheduled twice. On Wednesday, Mother Nature intervened at The Tennis Club. Rain forced the suspension of the Sage Hill School boys' tennis team's rivalry match against St. Margaret's. Sage was leading, 6-5, before the rain showers came. Sage Hill Coach A.G. Longoria said the teams will finish their first Academy League meeting Tuesday, right before their second meeting at Rancho San Clemente Tennis & Fitness Club. Sage Hill (7-11, 5-2 in league)

Though the rivalry could never be completely dampened, rain washed out the schedule opener of a three-game Big West Conference baseball series between UC Irvine and Cal State Fullerton on Friday night. The two teams plan to resume their rivalry Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. at Anteater Ballpark. The second game, scheduled for approximately 4:30 p.m. will honor tickets for Friday's game. The park will be cleared after Saturday's first game, so separate admissions will be charged.

The players at the Toshiba Classic will most likely face big-time challenges with rain expected Saturday. The weather also figures to be a challenge for the volunteers at Newport Beach Country Club. Brian Horn, the Toshiba Classic volunteer chairman, said there are close to 800 volunteers at this year's Toshiba. The challenge for them will be scheduling. If there are delays on Saturday that could ruin plans for many of the volunteers, who are assigned a set amount of hours throughout the day. "We can't stress about what we can't control," Horn said of the rain.

NEWPORT BEACH - Many on the Champions Tour say they love to play the Toshiba Classic because it's in Newport Beach. They enjoy the shops and restaurants nearby, and most of all they enjoy the sunny weather. The latter doesn't look as if it will hold up this weekend. Some of the biggest names from golf's past will try to get in three rounds in the 18th Toshiba Classic at Newport Beach Country Club. First-round play begins Friday at 10 a.m. The first tee time has been moved up on Saturday to 8 a.m. because of the threat of heavy rain.

CORONA DEL MAR - It has never rained on the Corona del Mar All-American Invitational Tournament. CdM boys' tennis coach Brian Ricker said Tim Mang, the longtime CdM coach and All-American Tournament director, likes to brag about that fact. Mother Nature doesn't appear so kind for the 13th year of the two-day tournament. Rain is expected Saturday, so Mang moved up CdM's first-round match against Sage Hill. The two schools started the prestigious tournament Thursday, a day early.

Brad Faxon already has one win on the Champions Tour, but you could say he's still finding his way. Faxon, an eight-time PGA Tour winner who turned 50 seven months ago, had a troublesome start to his Toshiba Classic debut Wednesday. He showed up to Newport Beach Golf Course to play in the pro-am. One problem, the Toshiba is at Newport Beach Country Club. Not a big deal. He made it to NBCC for an interview with media and then out for his afternoon of pro-am. No harm. It goes in sync to how Faxon feels on the Champions Tour.

You could say Jake Knapp had an eventful day Tuesday. The Estancia High senior competed in the Toshiba Classic Par-3 Challenge at Newport Beach Country Club in the morning and then against rival Costa Mesa at Costa Mesa Country Club in the afternoon. Knapp, bound for UCLA, was all about winning, as he was a part of victories at both events. It was also fun for him to be matched up with a pro during the Par-3 Challenge, he said. Knapp, and Beckman's Kaitlin Park won along with Stan Utley, a pro who qualified for the Toshiba Classic on Monday.

There is a lull in the patter of rain on the roof. A mournful hoot sounds from the owl residing in a nearby tree. On this wintry-feeling night I am tucked away out of the elements and even enjoying them when I am suddenly reminded of all those who have a very different perspective. My good fortune assails me. I am filled with gratitude and yet … As I spent this Sunday of inclement weather cleaning and clearing, my thoughts turned to Thanksgiving and all that it means — or can mean to some, I realize in this moment — was foremost in my mind as topic.

WALNUT - Flying toward the second-fastest girls' time of Saturday's CIF Southern Section cross country preliminaries at 16 minutes, 13 seconds, Newport Harbor High superstar runner Paige Tennison won her heat in dominating fashion. But that wasn't the best news Tennison and her Sailor teammates received at Mt. San Antonio College, although the junior's teammates congratulated her soon after her 2.91-mile run. It was the fact Newport Harbor qualified for next week's finals, which will also be held at Mt. SAC. The Sailors made it to the Division II finals by qualifying fourth in their heat with 91 points, as four teams per heat qualified for the finals.

NEWPORT BEACH - Standing in the rain with his arms crossed against his chest and face hidden under his jacket's hood, Bernard Hamilton stared with rapt attention as contractors at Fashion Island lowered this year's Christmas tree into place. "It's an amazing thing for the local people here," Hamilton, an employee at the concierge desk, said without breaking his concentration on the massive white fir. "It brings something great for the community. " Any other year, there would be plenty of people standing with Hamilton early Friday to watch crews in hard hats work with a crane operator to gently lift, swing and drop the 90-foot tree into place.