L.A. heat wave: Add lightning, heavy rain to today’s extreme weather

From sweltering heat to heavy downpours and lightning storms, extreme weather will continue to plague the Southland on Wednesday as monsoonal moisture mixes with triple-digit temperatures, forecasters warned.

The combination of moisture and record-breaking heat is likely to mean yet another day of wacky weather for the Inland Empire, which on Tuesday saw heavy downpours, lightning and strong winds.

Lake Elsinore was particularly hard-hit with street flooding and downed power lines and trees. Lightning struck a home in Crestline, setting it on fire.

Moist air again will mix with high heat Wednesday, probably creating more thunderstorms and lightning, according to forecasters.

Any thunderstorm that does develop is likely to be slow-moving and produce heavy rain, creating the potential for flash flooding, according to the National Weather Service. And as remnants of Hurricane Odile move up from Baja California, up to 2 inches of rain could drop in Southern California’s deserts.

The rain that drenched swaths of Riverside County on Tuesday will have dried up, leaving triple-digit heat and moist, sticky air in its wake, said Michael Watkins, a forecaster with the National Weather Service.

In drought-stricken forest areas, wind gusts and record-setting heat will continue to create the potential for a devastating, fast-moving wildfire, forecasters warned.

Meanwhile, rip currents remain dangerously strong at the beaches, where Los Angeles County lifeguards made dozens of rescues Tuesday.

For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna.