JOHN HUNNEMAN

Staff Writer

TEMECULA -- A powerful Pacific storm Thursday brought rain to the valley, snow to the local mountains and a promise from forecasters of more on the way today.

However, they say, things should begin to dry out Saturday with the next storm system not set to arrive until midweek.

"We've got more waves of this front spinning around the core of the storm out in the ocean," said Frank O'Leary, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in San Diego. "They'll be coming on shore Thursday night and Friday morning, bringing heavy rain and possible thunderstorms."

The chance for rain today is 100 percent, O'Leary said, and high temperatures will reach the mid-50s with the snow level descending to the 3,000-foot level. The chance of rain will decrease to 30 percent tonight.

"Saturday will be partly cloudy and warmer, with highs in the 60s," O'Leary said. "The next weather system shouldn't be here until Thursday."

The up to 2 inches of rain that fell across Southwest County may have contributed to several minor accidents on area freeways, said California Highway Patrol Sgt. Ron Thatcher. "We haven't had anything serious injury-wise," Thatcher said.

A mudslide closed the Ortega Highway -- the much-traveled commuter route between Lake Elsinore and San Juan Capistrano -- near La Pata Road in Orange County for 3 1/2 hours. The mudslide was reported at 2:38 a.m.

"The roadway was opened again about 6 a.m.," said officer Mark Reeves of the California Highway Patrol.

A smaller mudslide onto the Rancho California Road offramp from northbound Interstate 15 partially blocked one lane for several hours Thursday morning. No major flood damage was reported.

"We had a couple of cars that stalled because of the rain on Kalmia earlier this morning," said Battalion Chief Pat Jennings of the Murrieta Fire Department. Several streets in the Old Town area, including Kalmia and Ivy streets near Murrieta Creek, were closed Thursday morning.

"We had no calls for flood-related damage," Jennings said. "As far as storms go, this was a minimal flooding event."

Temecula reported no storm-related damage in the city.

Local residents reported power outages in several areas, including Rainbow and in Temecula's Wine Country.

"We lost power sometime over night," said Vincenzo Cilurzo, owner of Cilurzo Vineyard & Winery. "All of our clocks were blinking 2:30 when we woke up this morning."

Power was back on at the winery by 6 a.m., Cilurzo said.

Marian Porter, who lives east of the wineries, said her electricity went out about 3 a.m. and wasn't restored until 3 p.m.

"I'm glad we got it back," she said. "It was cold out here."

Southern California Edison officials said weather-related power outages were scattered from Ventura to San Diego counties, and in other parts of the Inland Empire.

What came down as rain in the Temecula Valley fell as snow in the surrounding hills to the east and south. Mount San Jacinto, at 8,000 feet, received 17 inches of snow, O'Leary said. Closer to home, Mount Palomar in San Diego County received up to six inches of white stuff.

In Aguanga, 18 miles east of Temecula, snow came down as low as the 3,000-foot level, said Dave Kunz, owner of the Aguanga General Store

"We've heard it might get even lower on Friday," Kunz said.

Rain washed out several outdoor high school sports events, including soccer games between Elsinore and Murrieta and a big matchup between powerhouses Chaparral and Temecula. That game will be made up on Jan. 22.

Contact staff writer John Hunneman at (909) 676-4315, Ext. 2603, or hunneman@nctimes.com.

1/12/01