2nd Storm Hits With Heavy Rain, Winds

Los Angeles - Another wave of intense rain swept over Southern California today, producing tornado-like winds in Huntington Beach and floods in San Pedro, but only minimal damage in the fire-scarred foothills, where some canyon roads got a fresh coat of mud.

The rain came ashore about 11 a.m. and, for a second day in a row, the region took a pounding. The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for southeastern Los Angeles county and coastal Orange County about 1:30 p.m., while weather radar showed squall lines moving across the Palos Verdes Peninsula and one headed for central Orange County.

A funnel cloud, or waterspout, was spotted offshore. Shortly afterward, witnesses reported catamarans being lifted into the air at Huntington Harbor, then a Ford Explorer blown onto its side not far away.

It was unclear if the violent weather was a microburst or a tornado. The NWS tornado warning expired about 2:30 p.m.

Water buildup on a roof apparently caused a 25-by-25-foot caved-in on a furniture store in Irvine, where more than 115 people were evacuated without injury.

In Newport Beach, lifeguards reported gusts up to 72 mph on the municipal pier.

The tornado warning was quickly canceled in Los Angeles County, but rain runoff inundated several blocks near Grand Avenue and Fourth Street in San Pedro, and firefighters rescued at least 16 people who were trapped in flooded homes and cars. Los Angeles Fire Department Station 112, near Fourth Street and Harbor Boulevard, apparently also was flooded.

In nearby Long Beach, 1.43 inches of rain fell, setting record for the date. The old record, set in 1969, was 1.39 inches.

The Weather Service reported that 0.81 inches of rain fell in Santa Monica; 1.19 inches in Avalon on Catalina Island; 0.94 inches in Agoura; 0.81 in Whittier Hills; and 0.74 inches in Van Nuys.

County firefighters pulled two boys, ages 10 and 12, out of a rain- swollen wash in Pomona. Fire crews were called to the San Antonio flood control channel at East Grand Avenue and Southeast End Avenue at 2:47 p.m. The boys were safely pulled from the water and did not appear to be injured.

In the high desert, snow was reported in Lancaster as the noticeably cooler storm moved east about 3 p.m. Farther east in the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains, snow was falling at elevation of about 5,500 feet or more.

In the fire-denuded foothills ringing Los Angeles, where some roads were buried under several feet of mud Monday, minimal damage was reported, but some canyon roads were covered with a fresh coat of mud about a foot deep.

Evacuations were ordered in the northwest San Fernando Valley and the La Canada Flintridge amid Monday's deluge, but residents were allowed to return in the late afternoon. Some homes and garages were damaged by mud flows, but most residents and county crews had spent weeks putting up barriers to keep the mud flowing down roads.

With more rain expected to fall Wednesday and likely to cause more mudslides and flooding, county officials said they were already ordering mandatory evacuations for residents of 489 homes -- possibly more -- in hillside communities, effective at 9 a.m.

County firefighters hope to have the homes in La Canada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Acton and parts of Glendale evacuated by 1 p.m., county fire Capt. Mark Savage said. County officials said residents should be prepared to remain out of their homes until Monday.

Forecasters warned that more potentially damaging winds -- gust of 60 mph or more -- are possible Wednesday, as the strongest storm in the series comes ashore.

A NWS flash flood watch for the mountains will remain in effect through tonight.

Rainfall totals for the week were expected to range from 4-8 inches along the coast and double that in upslope areas. Monday's totals ranged from about an inch downtown to more than 3 inches in the mountains.

Temperatures will grow progressively cooler, with downtown Los Angeles expected to top out at 51 degrees by Friday, according to the NWS.