Thunderstorms moving across Los Angeles County triggered an evacuation warning for Santa Monica Beach yesterday. Beaches were also closed in Malibu as the storm moved north.
The city of Santa Monica posted on twitter that lightning was reported in the area late Wednesday morning and people should evacuate all beach and ocean areas. Anyone on the famed Santa Monica Pier was urged to seek cover indoors.
In 2014, a rare lightning strike on nearby Venice Beach killed a college student and injured a dozen other people.
Wednesday's surprise cell moved rapidly out of the inland region and through Los Angeles, hurling lightning bolts and dropping rain.
“A surge of monsoonal moisture will bring a threat of thunderstorms to portions of Southwest California Wednesday into Thursday,” said the National Weather Service in a weather alert. “The best chance of thunderstorms will occur during the afternoon and evening hours across the mountains and Antelope Valley, but there is a slight chance of storms of drifting into coastal and valley areas including nocturnal activity. Any storms that do develop will be capable of producing brief heavy downpours with isolated flash flooding possible. In addition, strong and erratic wind gusts will be possible near thunderstorms.”
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.
The National Weather Service said a chance of afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms would continue into Thursday, mostly for the mountains, deserts and inland valleys.
Weather Friday and Saturday is expected to be a little drier, followed by warming as high pressure expands into Southern California.
editor@www.smdp.com
Santa Monica forecast
Thursday
Patchy fog before noon. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 73. Light southwest wind becoming west 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.
Thursday Night
Patchy fog after midnight. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 69. South southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 74. South southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night
Patchy fog after midnight. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 68.
Saturday
Patchy fog before noon. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 74.
Saturday Night
Patchy fog after midnight. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 69.
Sunday
Patchy fog before noon. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 75.
Sunday Night
Patchy fog after midnight. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 69.
Monday
Patchy fog. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 78.
Monday Night
Patchy fog. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 70.
Tuesday
Patchy fog. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 81.
