May of the Mist : Slight Drizzle Goes Long Way During Rush Hour

It wasn’t enough to keep your windshield wipers going, or rinse the grime off your hood.

But the drizzle that descended unexpectedly upon Los Angeles early Thursday morning was enough to jerk residents out of their May sunshine complacency and to create rain-snarled commutes.

Gloomy clouds that poured into the sky late Wednesday dropped a whimper of precipitation on the region, a soft echo of the storm pounding Northern California.

The storm front, unusual for this time of year, dropped 0.04 of an inch of rain in downtown Los Angeles. Even at that meager level, it tied the record rainfall--set in 1949--for the date.

In the San Fernando Valley, rainfall ranged from merely a trace to about a quarter of an inch, the National Weather Service said, although some areas were hit by brief, heavy downpours.

As people yanked umbrellas up and down on city streets, the drizzle caused cars to bump, jerk and gurgle during the morning commute.

Though there was no significant increase in accidents due to rain, Valley freeways were clogged because drivers reduced speed to adjust to slick roads and there were more cars than on dry days, said CHP Public Information Officer Rhett Price.

“If it’s raining when you’re leaving home, you are less apt to take public transportation or carpool,” Price said.

“It was just enough to slow everybody down, just a mist,” said California Highway Patrol Officer Joe Campos in Woodland Hills.

But, for the most part, there were no traffic accidents or stalled cars to be blamed for the freeway creep. Traffic watchers said a few drops of water were sufficient to block Los Angeles’ swollen arteries.

“All it takes is one shower to start off the morning,” said Jim Thornton, traffic reporter for radio station KNX-AM (1070) who fielded phone calls about the slow commute all morning. “Because we’re running at full capacity out there, that’s all it takes to jam the drive.”

Thursday’s damp atmosphere greeted participants in the second annual California Bike Commute Day, an event designed to get people out of their cars and into the fresh air.

Despite the surprise storm, organizers estimated that participation was up 25% from last year’s 10,000 riders.

But some morning cyclists said they saw few bicycles pedaling along the slippery asphalt.

The wet streets didn’t stop James Jones, a parts manager at a Santa Monica car dealer and an avid cycler who rides six or seven days a week, no matter what the weather is. He left his home in Palmdale at 3 a.m. for the 3 1/2-hour ride.

“I got really wet,” he said. “At a number of points, I hit 35 to 40 mile per hour winds . . . it was like getting peppered in the face.”

Just before 11 a.m., a truck driver suffered serious injuries when his rig jackknifed on the transition road from the northbound Golden State Freeway to the westbound Simi Valley Freeway. The driver, Wenceslao Silva, was taken to Providence Holy Cross Medical Center after the crash, Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Jim Wells said.

Silva’s truck slid on the rain-soaked road and slammed into the barrier, knocking chunks of concrete onto the freeway below, according to CHP Officer Gretchen Jacobs.

The local rainfall was tranquil compared to the thunderstorm that struck Central California. The downfall flooded the Merced River and washed out roads in Yosemite National Park, leaving hundreds of tourists stranded in Yosemite Valley.

Highways through the park were closed and camps evacuated as the river swelled to flood levels. Park officials said it may take a day or two to clear the roads of water and sediment.

In Los Angeles, the sprinkles kept most people inside. After warm weather and ocean water temperatures that rose to 70 degrees this week, the sudden May showers squelched beach-going plans. Less than 200 people dotted the sand in Santa Monica, down from the 8,000 sunbathers on Wednesday, lifeguard officials said.

Cyclists, skaters and strollers stayed off the slick bike paths, while a small band of determined surfers ignored the light sprinkles.

“As soon as it gets sunny again, we’ll have people back out here,” said senior ocean lifeguard Patrick Jones.

Sunny weather is expected for the weekend, but people should avoid swimming for 72 hours after the rain because of increased levels of bacteria, Jones added.

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Times staff writer Mark Arax contributed to this story.