[UPDATED] Authorities continue Wednesday to assess the aftermath of the first substantial storm of the fall that drenched much of the Southland and dropped as much as 5 inches of rain in select areas and prompted evacuation orders and warnings.
Pasadena Chief Communications Officer Lisa Derderiansaid early Wednesday that no serious storm damage was reported.
“It did rain overnight so we’ll continue to work with LA County Public Works to look at flood basins, debris flows,” Derderian said.
The National Weather Service said the storm was “rain and run.”
“The most intense rain from the system have exited the area, with a handful of isolated showers lingering behind the system this afternoon into this evening,” said the National Weather Service.
“No significant impacts are expected with these lingering showers, but if stronger showers linger over vulnerable areas for an extended period of time, they may cause localized flooding issues,” the federal agency’s forecast added.
One person was found dead in the rain-swollen Santa Ana River near MacArthur Boulevard in the Fountain Valley area of Orange County around midday Tuesday, but the circumstances of the fatality were not immediately known.
There was some flooding in various areas, from the storm, but the region appeared to dodge any damaging mud or debris flows.
The rain began falling in Los Angeles County during the overnight hours Tuesday, making for a wet morning commute and leading to widespread reports of vehicles spinning out and several trucks overturning.
The northbound Golden State (5) Freeway in the Sun Valley area flooded late Tuesday morning, forcing a temporary closure of all lanes. Much of the southbound 5 Freeway in the same general area was also closed at the same time due to an overturned truck.
As the storm system advanced eastward across the area, the National Weather Service issued a series of severe storm and flood warnings, primarily affecting communities near the Palisades Fire burn zone, where some evacuation orders and warnings were in effect.
Mandatory evacuation orders were issued Monday night for about 120 homes in the Pacific Palisades area in advance of the storm. All of the orders and warnings, however, were lifted at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
“The big rain winners were in the San Gabriel Mountains where there were several reports of rain amounts over 5 inches,” NWS forecasters said. “Otherwise most areas ended up with between 1 and 1.5 inches.”
Despite the evacuation warnings — which were also posted Tuesday in the Eaton Fire burn area in Altadena, the Hurst Fire area in Sylmar and Sunset Fire in the Hollywood Hills — the Southland appeared to have avoided any major flood or debris flow damage. Some minor flows did occur on hillsides as rainfall rates neared 1 inch per hour in some locations, but no significant damage was reported.
Forecasters said that with the storm largely vacating the area, the Southland can expect much calmer weather for the next few days.
“A light Santa Ana event will follow this storm, peaking Thursday/Friday,” according to the NWS. “Winds are not expected to be too strong, but could get some gusts into the 30s in the San Gabriels… The more notable change will be the temperatures which will warm up well into the 80s across the valleys.
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