Los Angeles

Presidents Day Brings Scattered Light Rain, Gusty Winds to Southern California

A new round of showers started to dampen Southern California on Presidents Day as residents recovered from Friday's storm damage.

Light showers were falling around Southern California overnight and the National Weather Service forecast a 70 percent chance of showers through the day, according to meteorologist Curt Kaplan.

The showers were likely to continue at times through the evening but accumulations were expected to be low. "No more than one-third to one-half inch,'' Kaplan said.

No advisories, watches or warnings were issued because the showers should not result in flooding or mudslides, Kaplan said. But surf was expected to increase Wednesday.

The chance for rain was forecast to drop to 40 percent Monday night and 20 percent Tuesday with a chance for brief periods of rain Wednesday and the possibility of more rain next weekend, he said.

Temperatures were forecast to remain mild overnights and cool during the day, Kaplan said.

"Cloud cover acts like a blanket at night and keeps temperatures down during the day," he said.

Highs in the low to mid-60s were forecast all week with lows in the low to mid-50s.

Flooding occurred on a number of highways and streets Friday, tens of thousands of people lost power, a man was killed in Sherman Oaks when a fallen tree knocked power lines on his vehicle and a large sinkhole swallowed two cars in Studio City where repairs continued.

In Santa Clarita, the sheriff's department reported on Sunday that Meadview Avenue in Placerita Canyon was passable by truck only. Golden Oak Lane remained closed.

As the rain grew in intensity, trees were felled by the combination of high winds and saturated ground. Los Angeles Fire Department officials reported dozens of fallen trees around the city Friday and Saturday.

In Sherman Oaks, a man was electrocuted when a tree fell on top of power lines and a vehicle. The coroner's office has not yet released his name.

The Los Angeles Fire Department said there were as many as 150 reports of electrical wires being downed in the city. Both the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and Southern California Edison reported tens of thousands of customers lost power late Friday.

By 10 p.m. Sunday, the DWP reported that 4,800 customers were still in the dark, out of a total of 85,623 that lost power.

In Studio City, repair crews were working to stabilize and refill a 20-foot wide sinkhole at 4245 N. Laurel Canyon Blvd., two blocks south of Moorpark Street. Two cars fell into the sinkhole Friday and one of the drivers had to be rescued by the fire department. The 48-year-old woman was taken to the hospital in fair condition.

On Sunday repair crews were trying to establish a bypass around the sinkhole that will enable a partial reopening of Laurel Canyon Boulevard, according to L.A. Sanitation Bureau spokesman Adel Hagekhalil.

Copyright CNS - City News Service
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