Wintry Storm Pummels Southland

A wet storm pounded Southern California on Sunday, causing flooding on city streets and road closures in the mountains.

Heavy snowfall forced the California Highway Patrol to close much of the Angeles Crest Highway on Sunday, and the agency reported more than twice the normal number of traffic reports during a two-hour period, officials said.

A winter storm warning was expected to remain in effect until 6 a.m. today, with the snow level dipping to 2,500 feet. Meteorologists say the showers will taper off by this afternoon.

The cold weather system driving the storm has already produced several record lows in Southern California.

Saturday’s low of 26 degrees in Lancaster broke a record of 28 set in 1950, while the low in Long Beach of 41 degrees tied a record set in 1953.

A slight warming trend is expected later in the week, and conditions should be clear but breezy by Tuesday, meteorologists said. Temperatures should be closer to normal by Wednesday.

In addition to the blustery weather, earthquakes struck near Big Bear City and Valencia early Sunday, rattling windows but apparently causing little damage.

One of the quakes--measuring 3.0--was an aftershock of the 1992 Landers-Big Bear quake, and the other--measuring 3.6--was an aftershock of the 1994 Northridge quake.