Storm Visits Long Enough to Cause Traffic Snarls

The tail-end of a swiftly moving storm dumped more than 0.25 of an inch of rain in San Diego within a four-hour period Friday evening, but skies should begin to clear today, the National Weather Service said.

A high-pressure system that is slowly building toward Southern California is expected to push clouds east and create clear, crisp conditions, forecaster Harvey Hastrup said.

Despite the changes, small-craft and heavy-surf advisories will remain in effect at least through today, Hastrup said. Swells of 10 feet, with occasional breakers as large as 12 feet, are predicted at west-facing beaches.

Only a trace of rain was recorded at Lindbergh Field until after 4 p.m., but more than 0.25 of an inch had fallen by 8 p.m.

The rain snarled rush-hour traffic and was blamed for numerous fender-benders on the county’s highways, authorities reported. The California Highway Patrol canceled a scheduled drunk-driving checkpoint in North County because of the inclement weather.

The high temperatures throughout San Diego County will be about 68 today with slightly warmer temperatures Sunday. Coastal lows will be 57 with inland lows from 45 to 52.

Continued gusty winds may cause a travelers’ advisory for the mountain areas to remain in effect through today. No snow fell in the mountains Friday.

The mountain areas should be partly cloudy and cool with daytime temperatures in the 40s and nighttime lows in the 30s.

Deserts will be fair and warm with highs about 75 degrees and overnight lows about 50.

In Los Angeles County, Friday’s onslaught of wind and rain arrived along the Malibu coastline about noon and made an immediate impression. Rain-soaked earth oozed across Decker Canyon Road, trapping one pickup truck whose driver hiked to safety, and three other mud slides blocked Mulholland Highway in the same area.

Another mud slide closed Pacific Coast Highway for a while between Big Rock Drive and Las Flores Canyon Road, but Caltrans crews were later able to open all but one northbound lane.

Flooding at intersections and underpasses in Los Angeles forced closure of the Terminal Island Freeway by mid-afternoon--but no property damage or serious injuries were reported, although police said traffic was slow and heavy in most parts of the city.

The California Highway Patrol said accidents plagued most freeways, but only a few minor injuries were reported.

Two Rapid Transit District buses collided on slick pavement near Crenshaw and Washington boulevards late Friday afternoon. Ambulances transported 15 people to hospitals, but a city Fire Department spokesman said none of the injuries appeared to be serious.

A Rapid Transit District spokesman said one of the buses was empty and the other was carrying 32 passengers. Cause of the crash was under investigation.

Meanwhile, there were a few moments of sunshine between the storms, and residents of fire-scarred Matilija Canyon in Ventura County used the respite to survey their losses.

Mud slides touched off by Thursday’s downpour had ripped one canyon home from its foundation, caused another to collapse and seriously damaged a third while blocking the only access road.

About 40 residents who were evacuated on foot and by helicopter Thursday returned to the canyon Friday morning, but most stopped only long enough to retrieve prized possessions and automobiles. Road crews had cleared a single escape lane, and drivers used it.

The weather service issued a flash-flood watch for the area as the second storm arrived, and residents who stayed behind said they were ready to evacuate if the hillsides began to move.

But the new storm passed quickly and left only about half an inch of rain behind, and by late afternoon Ventura County authorities said it seemed possible that no new damage would result.