New Storm Expected To Hit Southern California Wednesday

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A new storm was making its way toward California from the Pacific Northwest on Monday as parts of the state cleaned up damage left by last week's drenching rains.

Temperatures, which had been well below seasonal norms, were up slightly across the sun-splashed Los Angeles area and in San Diego County and showers had eased in the San Francisco Bay area, National Weather Service specialist Stuart Seto said.

The improvement in weather conditions was not expected to last, with a fast-moving storm bearing down on the region from the northwest. That weather system was due to reach Southern California on Wednesday.

Up to 1 1/2 inches of rains were expected in the mountains and about half that much along the coast. Seto said the storm will push a cold front into the area that will bring gusty winds and frigid temperatures.

Work Crews Clean Out Mullally Debris Basin, KNX 1070's Ed Mertz Reports

Last week, California was deluged with heavy rains that resulted in tens of millions of dollars of damage, according to preliminary estimates.

A state of emergency was declared in 11 counties, including Los Angeles, Orange and Santa Barbara.

County Spokesman Howard Sutter Talks to KNX 1070's Ron Kilgore about OC Storm Damage

A 67-year-old Pasadena woman died after driving her car onto a flooded street in Chino on Christmas Day and there was at least one other death resulting from cars plunging into waterways and several other storm-related traffic fatalities.

On Monday, crews began clean-up work in the debris basins that protect foothill communities north of Los Angeles from mud and water flowing off wildfire-scarred San Gabriel Mountains.

In San Bernardino County, workers in Highland continued to remove tons of mud and debris that destroyed five homes and damaged nearly 70 others.

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