As Rain Starts, So Do Southern California Freeway Crashes

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Crashes started early Wednesday as soon as light rain started falling on Southern California's slick roads overnight.

This week's storm is expected to bring between .33 of an inch and 1.25 inches to the region before it clears out Thursday night, according to the National Weather Service.

A semi hit the center divider on the northbound 14 Freeway at Newhall Avenue at 4:51 a.m. Wednesday, leaving the trailer overturned in the northbound lanes. The cab was left straddling the center divider, forcing the closure of several lanes on both sides while crews cleared the truck and cleaned up the subsequent mess.

The freeway was declared safe at about 8:30 a.m. and all lanes were reopened soon after.

In Pacoima, a car hydroplaned off the 118 Freeway in Arleta and ended up in the entrance to a pedestrian walkway under the freeway. The airbags of the car deployed, but the occupants are expected to be OK.

Crashes reported to the CHP typically spike on rainy days, compared to dry days of the same week.

While recent burn areas and seaside communities prepared for possible mud slides and coastal flooding, respectively, forecasters didn't anticipate this week's storm to cause either scenario.

(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)