Southern California storm front brings rains, strong winds and helicopter rescues
Aerial view of a rushing river
The Los Angeles Ri
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ver flows at a powerful rate as another storm slammed into the West Coast on Thursday.(David McNew / Getty Images)
BY ALEXANDRA E. PETRI, SALVADOR HERNANDEZ
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Another menacing storm front moved through Southern California on Thursday, bringing rain, flash flood concerns, strong winds and dangerous surf as the region was still reeling from a moisture-rich atmospheric river that pounded the entire state in recent days.
But the heavy rains seemed to break for much of Southern California by noon, even offering a glimpse of sunshine after a wet and at times dangerous morning.
The cold front and heaviest rainfall moved through the Los Angeles area faster and earlier than expected and produced less rain, dropping about 1 to 2 inches at lower elevations and 2 to 5 inches at higher elevations, meteorologists with the National Weather Service in Oxnard said.
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But the region remained at risk of isolated thunderstorms and flooding through Thursday because of a cold air mass traveling in the front’s wake, meteorologists said.
A flood watch issued Wednesday across southwest California was canceled by noon Thursday, after the strongest part of the storm had moved out of Los Angeles County. The flood watch was canceled for San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties, according to the National Weather Service.
But the heavy rains didn’t clear without first inflicting damage on the region, prompting road closures, water rescues and evacuations as emergency personnel monitored rapidly rising river waters.
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