October Storm Brings Booming Thunder, Lightning Over Southland

After days of above-normal heat, a low-pressure system moved into the Southland Monday, bringing driving rain to some areas along with booming thunder and lightning strikes that prompted the closure of beaches in Los Angeles and Orange counties.

By late afternoon, clouds darkened the skies over much of the Southland. Storms began dropping heavy rain near the Los Angeles/Long Beach port complex, spreading inland.

Photos: Storm System Brings Booming Thunder, Lightning to Southern California

The storm carried with it thunder and lightning that first prompted beach-closure warnings in parts of Orange County. Los Angeles County lifeguards closed all beaches from San Pedro to Malibu, along with Catalina Island, around 4:30 p.m. due to the weather.

The lightning storm prompted a warning from county fire officials for residents to find shelter and remain indoors until the aerial light show subsided.

Lightning strikes also prompted a roughly 30-minute delay in the start of the Monday Night Football game between the Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.

All LA County beaches reopened Tuesday morning.

The storm dropped nearly a half inch of rain in some areas, including 0.41 inches of rain in Big Dalton Dam in Los Angeles County. Santa Fe Dam in L.A. County recorded 0.33 inches of rain.

Other parts of Southern California had smaller recordings of rainfall. Santa Monica had 0.27 inches of rain and Hansen Dam in the San Fernando Valley had 0.21 inches.

The Hollywood Reservoir recorded 0.15 inches, Woodland Hills recorded 0.19 inches, the Chatsworth Reservoir recorded 0.16 inches and Van Nuys recorded 0.13 inches.

Downtown LA recorded 0.11 inches of rain and Pasadena recorded 0.18 inches of rain.

A cooling trend is expected through Thursday, with an increase in night through morning low clouds. It could also rain Thursday night and Friday.

Dry weather is expected for the weekend.