By Mary O’KEEFE

Even though our deadline is prior to Thursday morning, I am pretty certain from speaking with a NOAA meteorologist that it is raining today. NOAA is predicting about two inches of rain from this storm.

This rain will impact roadways, but NOAA doesn’t expect a lot of flooding issues.

“This is [regarding] the first storm: there may be a thunderstorm and wind from 30 to 40 miles per hour,” said Ryan Kittell, NOAA meteorologist.

They are more concerns about the second storm, which will be here from Sunday to Tuesday of next week.

“There is a moderate risk of heavy rains,” he said.

This storm may bring flooding and is expected to bring anywhere from three to five inches of rain. And then there may be another smaller storm after that one but it is too soon to tell how strong or what areas it will affect.

The bottom line is rain is here and will continue, and the lyric “It never rains in California” is just not true. So why the heck do Californians have such a difficult time driving in the rain?

To be fair, this brain gap behind the wheel when rain falls is not isolated to California drivers. I lived in Phoenix, Arizona and drivers there have the same affliction; however, I guess I expect more from LA drivers.

Maybe those who were born and raised here take it all for granted, but freeways are as iconically linked to LA as beaches, surfing and the Beach Boys. When I saw the 1991 movie “L.A. Story” with Steve Martin, I thought it was brilliant of Martin, who was the writer, and Mick Jackson, the director, to make the freeway sign a co-star in the film. If you haven’t seen it, it is worth your time. It is LA in the ’90s and Martin’s character gets guidance from the large freeway signs that once stood on the shoulder of freeways. Today the signs are smaller and placed over freeways. They communicate a variety of messages from “Be on the look out” for someone to reminding us to slow down and buckle up. When it rains the signs remind drivers the roads are wet; yep, they have to tell drivers that rain falling from the sky onto roads creates a wet surface.

Angelenos who drive the freeways, and those who are Angelenos adjacent, understand more than most professional racecar drivers the power of a motor vehicle. I doubt if you could find drivers who do not have their own horrific or terrifying accident story, either witnessed or one they drove past. There is even a Saturday Night Live skit of Angelenos at a party sharing how they drove to it by calling out the freeway numbers on which they traveled. Only someone from LA would know that skit is pretty close to reality.

I was surprised when I first moved here that when it came to LA roads everything hinged on the journey rather than the destination. And it seemed that just saying “405” would bring a small chuckle followed by a moan.

So, here is my point and my question: With all this knowledge of freeways, roadways and vehicles, why is it such a surprise to some that when it rains, roads – including freeways – are slick?

During one of our recent rainstorms I was driving up the 2 Freeway when a car, traveling at least 20 miles over the speed limit, passed by before the driver realized s/he needed to be in the far left lane to get onto the 210 Freeway. They drove sideways in front of me to make the connection. Luckily, I was able to stop before we connected, but that near miss was not the first one of the day. Now I know driving in and around LA has always been an adventure in skill and patience; in fact, while I was writing this article I took a break to go to the bank. On my way a driver, who apparently thought I was taking too long to turn left onto Montrose Avenue from Briggs Avenue, whipped around me, blocking my view of oncoming vehicles, to cross Montrose. Several cars had to slow down so as not to collide. Then a person was driving southbound on Ocean View Boulevard before going into the left turn lane to turn onto Honolulu Avenue. I was traveling northbound and was just south of Honolulu and was in the left turning lane when the other driver decided her left was actually her right – and cut in front of me as I was turning. So, as I said, driving in LA is an adventure – add wet asphalt to that and it transforms into a type of terrifyingly real life Mario Kart.

According to annenbergu.usc.edu, a 2019 study found in California 80% of drivers are more likely to have an accident in the rain than during normal clear conditions. And, on average, wet weather leads to a 140% increase in the number of accidents. When it’s raining between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. there are almost three times as many accidents.

When the roads are wet vehicles can hydroplane, which refers to the skidding or sliding of a vehicle’s tires across a wet surface.

“Hydroplaning occurs when a tire encounters more water than it can scatter. Water pressure in the front of the wheel pushes water under the tire and the tire is then separated from the road surface by a thin film of water and loses traction. The result is loss of steering, braking and power control,” according to safemotorist.com.

Now there are tires that have tread designed to channel water, which can help, but not always prevent, hydroplaning that can occur on the surface of any wet road.

The first 10 minutes of a light rain can be the most dangerous. When light rain mixes with oil residue on a road’s surface, it creates slippery conditions that can cause vehicles, especially traveling at speeds over 35 mph, to hydroplane, according to safemotorist.com.

Because this is LA, and especially in the foothills, let’s add in some fog and winds just to make it even more challenging.

Most of us have no choice but to drive the streets and freeways, rain or shine, so here are a few tips to make it safer: It is important to keep your tires properly inflated; make sure tires are in good shape; do not drive through puddles if you can help it; avoid driving in outer lanes where water often accumulates; don’t make sharp or quick turns; avoid hard braking.

This means (and I cannot believe I actually have to say this) this is not the time to text, talk on the phone or ensure you have just the right driving-in-the-rain music.

And beyond driving defensively, slow the **** down.