SANTA MONICA, CA – A strong Pacific storm doused Southern California with rain Thursday, flooding some roadways across the Southland and forcing some freeway lane closures, but the system dropped far less rain than originally expected as it quickly moved through the area.
Santa Monica saw over an inch of rain Thursday at 1.34 inches and the greater Los Angeles area saw scattered showers through the afternoon that were expected to lighten through the night, according to the National Weather Service. By early Friday, rain activity would significantly weaken.
“In general, 1 to 3 inches of rain has fallen,” NWS forecasters said around 9 am, by which time the bulk of the storm had largely already moved over the area.
Rain hit the heaviest in Los Angeles County’s mountains, which received up to 3.67 inches of rain over the last day.
Some roadways still saw significant issues, with trees, rocks, mud and flooding affecting drivers throughout the city. In Malibu, a rockslide closed a canyon road and Pacific Coast (1) Highway. Nearby in Calabasas, an oak tree fell after getting tangled in power lines and Agoura Hills saw a sinkhole.
Flooding in the Sepulveda Basin forced the closure of multiple roads in that area early Thursday morning, helping to snarl traffic in the San Fernando Valley. A stretch of the northbound Long Beach (710) Freeway was temporarily closed at Artesia Boulevard due to flooding, with some reports indicating 3 to 4 feet of water had accumulated on the roadway.
Mud and debris also inundated some streets in the Palmdale area, including Lake Hughes and Pine Canyon roads, according to the sheriff’s department. A flowing wash in the Santa Clarita area also led to muddy water running through some intersections.
Neighboring Ventura County saw river flooding in multiple locations, requiring a rescue effort in the Santa Clara River. Four people were rescued from the river via helicopter and raft.
Los Angeles County beaches were still expected to see dangerous surf and ocean conditions through Friday, according to the National Weather Service. Waves in Los Angeles were expected to reach 8-12 feet. Beachgoers were encouraged to stay away from the water and rocks.
Stormy weather meant power outages for many Angelenos, including outages in Westwood and Beverly Hills, according to Southern California Edison.
City News Service contributed to this report.
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