Fast-Moving Monsoonal Storm Brings Rain, Lightning, Gusty Winds To Southern California
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Lightning, rain and howling winds were causing problems Wednesday all over Southern California as a monsoonal storm moved into the region.
The thunderstorm hit San Diego County's Kearny Mesa at about 2:15 p.m., dropping steady rain on the area.
The storm made its way north quickly, with heavy rain reported in Laguna Beach as of 4 p.m., and scattered reports of rain in Los Angeles just about an hour later.
All Los Angeles County beaches were closed for hours Tuesday afternoon due to lightning risk.
In San Bernardino and Riverside, there were reports of wind-whipped dust storms and trees being toppled and burned by lightning strikes.
San Bernardino resident Mary Cisneros Toth described a dust storm that swept through her neighborhood as similar to a scene from a Hollywood movie, with brown dust blanketing the sky.
"It was like 'The Wizard of Oz,' you know, like where the witch is flying and everything in the tornado ... everything was brown," she said.
"People in the streets were running for cover and things like that. [It was] very, very windy," said San Bernardino resident Gary Vernon. "It looked like a hurricane," he said.
One Riverside man said he put out flames in a neighbor's tree and helped evacuate the home during the wild storm.
"My reaction was just to run across the street, you know, get the people out of the house and help them out," the man said.
There were also reports of a possible lightning strike outside of a DMV office in Torrance, where a witness said he saw a flash of light and then heard thunder.
The lightning may have struck the base of a flag pole, which was sectioned off with caution tape Tuesday.
No injuries were reported.
The National Weather Service says there is a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms to all of Los Angeles County throughout Tuesday night, and to the mountains and Antelope Valley through Friday. There is also a potential for isolated dry lightning strikes and gusty winds.
