Scattered storms, lightning hit Southern California and prompt beach closures and closures of power, water and gas systems statewide
The storm was first sighted by meteorologist Mark Jenkins in Santa Cruz, Calif., at 7pm Monday evening, his first full storm report for the year. The National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologist posted Tuesday morning that “the majority of Southern California has been impacted by these severe storms.”
The storm was named the “Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Southern California” over the National Weather Service forecast office as it made landfall on the northwest side of Los Angeles at 4:17 a.m. Tuesday, with winds up to 75 mph. The weather service had issued a similar warning over a portion of the Los Angeles basin before the storm made landfall, as it warned that “an area of concentrated activity will exist on this day through 12 am PST (5 am EST).”
NWS forecasters had predicted that a “strong low pressure system” with the potential to produce “severe storms” would move through Southern California toward the coast. “While there is some uncertainty about the exact storm location, there is a high level of confidence that, on this day, several severe storms will be possible over the southeast Los Angeles basin,” the Weather Service said in the initial warning.
“Stronger to severe” rain will affect Southern California; the National Weather Service is warning of 50% to 70% of the state could be impacted by intense or strong rain. “The main concern is the rainfall intensity. It is going to be a lot more rain than we are used to seeing in the area,” said forecaster Mark Jenkins.
The National Weather Service says the storm is expected to last until after midnight, with the heaviest rain expected between 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. “The weather system is expected to transition to a cold front by 2 p.m. through this afternoon, bringing a chance for more rain. There is a chance for isolated showers and thunderstorms starting around 1 p.m., and possibly extending into the evening hours.”
The potential for significant wind gusts also exists over portions of the Los Angeles area. “The strongest wind gust
