Rain Brings Some Relief but Adds to Misery for Others

A chilly storm blew through Southern California on Friday, dropping rain and snow that brought cheer to some people and consternation to others.

On the plus side, the precipitation was a welcome change in what has been shaping up as one of the driest winters on record.

Almost an inch of rain fell in some of the Southland’s residential and agricultural areas, which was good news for gardeners and farmers. State water officials said the up to 13 inches of snow in the mountains was a gratifying addition to the pack that contributes to the area’s household water supply.

On the negative side, the cold rain tangled traffic slowed by earthquake detours, added to the miseries of earthquake refugees who are still camping in some of the city’s parks and threatened to set loose mudslides on slopes denuded during last fall’s disastrous brush fires.

Fire officials said that except for a few minor slips here and there, the burned slopes appeared to be holding pretty well, but concerns arose about further landslides on an oceanfront bluff in Pacific Palisades that began to give way during the earthquake.

Part of the bluff toppled onto Pacific Coast Highway on Jan. 17, carrying with it the bedroom wing of a mansion that once belonged to actor Charles Laughton and undermining several other houses. On Friday, police closed part of Chautauqua Boulevard for fear that more of the former Laughton home might slide down the hill.

The California Highway Patrol said the rain contributed to a crash on Interstate 15 in Barstow that killed two people and closed the northbound lanes for much of the day, and heavy snow closed the Golden State Freeway at Gorman for almost nine hours.

The snow continued throughout the day in the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains, delighting ski resort operators who had been relying largely on man-made snow.

“It’s absolutely incredible. It’s all soft and fluffy,” said Libby Coleman, a spokeswoman at the Bear Mountain Ski Resort at Big Bear. “This is what we’ve needed.”

The Coast Guard rescued seven fishermen early Friday after heavy seas and winds gusting up to 55 m.p.h. drove two boats aground and disabled a third off Santa Cruz Island.

Two of the fishermen, who were identified as Wayne Chapman and Randall Brown, were taken to Goleta Hospital in Santa Barbara for treatment of hypothermia. None of the others required treatment.

The Coast Guard said a powerful HH-60 helicopter had to be flown in from San Francisco to assist in the rescues when a smaller helicopter and a cutter were hampered by the severe weather.

Bruce Thoren, a meteorologist with WeatherData Inc., said there is a chance of rain again late Sunday. He said rain is also likely Monday and could continue into Tuesday.

“But there might be high pressure building in behind that,” he said, “with more dry weather for the rest of the week.”

During December and January, normally two of the wettest months of the year, only 1.11 inches of rain fell on Los Angeles, compared to a normal total for the two months of 4.95 inches.

The 0.59 of an inch that had fallen in Los Angeles by 3 p.m. Friday raised the total for the season to 2.62 inches, compared to a normal season’s total for the date of 8.28 inches. Last year at this time, the season’s total was 17.23 inches. Rainfall seasons are measured from July 1 through June 30.

Times staff writer Christina Lima contributed to this story.