Beaches Evacuated As Thunderstorms Move Across Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA/AP) — Monsoonal flow has brought thunderstorms and strong winds to the deserts of Southern California have moved into Los Angeles proper.
An urban and small stream flood was advisory for San Bernardino and Riverside counties early Wednesday morning and was canceled around 4:30 a.m. when the threat of flooding ended. That same system moved into Los Angeles County just before lunchtime, bringing rain, thunder and lightning from Glendale to Beverly Hills to the San Fernando Valley.
Meanwhile, the lightning may have sparked a small quarter-acre brush fire in Encino. The fire was reported in the 16000 block of West Encino Hills Drive. It was quickly knocked down by Los Angeles Fire Department crews.
The National Weather Service says a chance of afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms will continue into Thursday, not just in the mountains and deserts, but all the way to the coast from Ventura to Orange counties.
Lightning strikes prompted city officials in Santa Monica to order the evacuation of ocean and beach areas, and advise people to move indoors on the famed Santa Monica Pier. Further inland, lightning kept water-dropping helicopters grounded in the battle against a small brush fire in the Encino area.
Weather Friday and Saturday is expected to be a little drier, followed by warming as high pressure expands into Southern California.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
