Thunder tonight, skies clear Sunday night, forecasts say

The first big storm of the winter season ended up being a dud for Newport Beach and Costa Mesa on Friday, but there is still a chance of showers and thunderstorms on the radar for the weekend.

The storm, which was projected to drop around 3 inches of rain, stayed north and blew through during the night, leaving the area damp but far from drenched.

Mandatory evacuations were lifted for Orange County areas threatened by mudslides Friday morning after experts gave the all clear.

Weather forecasts still predict scattered showers in the Newport-Mesa area today and Sunday, with a chance of thunderstorms hitting tonight, according to the National Weather Service.

Skies are expected to clear Sunday night.

— Daniel Tedford