Rain Causes Crashes, Brings Slight Relief on Risk of Wildfires

The first measurable rain since October brought needed moisture to Southern California’s parched chaparral and forest lands Monday, and meteorologists said a bigger storm is expected later in the week.

The forecasters said the approaching storm, due Wednesday night, is expected to last through Friday, packing gale-force winds and heavy surf that could flood low-lying coastal areas, especially in Orange and San Diego counties.

“It looks like a strong, well-organized storm system that could bring some pretty heavy precipitation to the Los Angeles area,” said Eric Edge, a meteorologist with Weather Central, which provides forecasts for The Times. “There could even be a thunderstorm or two.”

Monday’s showers created a problem for motorists that occurs every time it rains after a protracted dry period. The rainwater created a slippery film atop a patina of road oil that had been building up on pavement since the last significant rain, more than two months ago.

Caltrans said lanes were closed at midday on the Long Beach, Harbor, Santa Monica and Golden State freeways as drivers skidded out of control and started banging into one another.

Los Angeles County Fire Capt. Brian Jordan said Monday’s light rain was enough to cancel a Red Flag warning of fire danger in the county’s brushland and forests, but the U.S. Forest Service said it will take heavier precipitation--like that forecast for later in the week--to lift the restrictions against open fires in the Southland’s federal forests.

A little snow fell Monday in the Tehachapi, San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains above 6,000 feet, but officials said there wasn’t enough of it to permit operations to resume at many of the Southland ski resorts that lack major snow-making equipment.

Monday’s drizzles were enough to prompt volunteers and city officials in Thousand Oaks to begin sandbagging hillsides scorched in a 600-acre wildfire Dec. 26. The fire, which swept within 100 feet of gated luxury homes and condominiums near North Ranch Country Club, stripped hillside of vegetation, posing a threat of mudslides.

By 5:30 p.m. Monday, .27 of an inch of rain had collected in the official downtown Los Angeles gauge at USC, raising the total for the season--which runs from July 1 through June 30--to 1.47 inches. That’s about one-fourth of the normal total for the date of 5.56 inches.

Other daily measurements by 5:30 p.m. Monday included: 0.69 of an inch at Santa Barbara Airport, 0.52 at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, 0.26 at Long Beach Airport, 0.24 at Los Angeles International Airport, 0.18 in Burbank, 0.16 at Sepulveda Dam, and 0.12 in San Dimas.

Health officials ordered Seal Beach, Huntington Harbour, Huntington Beach, Dana Point, Dana Point Harbor and Newport Bay closed to swimmers and surfers Monday afternoon after ocean waters there tested above the allowable limits for bacteria, said Monica Mazur, environmental health specialist for the Orange County Public Health Department.

The agency issued a 72-hour advisory for the entire coastal area to let beach-goers know that ocean water might be polluted by storm runoff.

Forecasters said the fast-moving low-pressure trough that dropped Monday’s rain should clear out to the east by this morning, with partly cloudy skies today and Wednesday before clouds and rain return Wednesday night.

Rain, heavy at times, is expected Thursday and most of Friday, with snow above 5,000 to 6,000 feet. Skies should be partly cloudy Saturday, with a chance of more rain on Sunday.

Temperatures throughout the period should be about normal for this time of year in Los Angeles, with highs in the 60s following overnight lows in the 40s and 50s.

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Times staff writer Tina Dirmann in Ventura County and Times correspondent Deniene Husted in Orange County contributed to this story.