After rain, surfers urged to steer clear of polluted runoff

Surfers, beware: After two days of rain, public health officials are warning that ocean waters near discharging storm drains, creeks and rivers could make swimmers sick.

A rain advisory is in effect for all Los Angeles County beaches until Sunday morning. Jonathan Fielding, director of the county Department of Health, has advised surfers and swimmers to stick to parts of the beach that aren’t near discharging drains or natural outlets.

Debris and trash make their way into the ocean whenever it rains. With the pollution come dangerous bacteria and chemicals that can make people ill.

A storm front moving across the region has brought rain and cooler temperatures that are expected to stick around until Friday.

The storm had already dumped as much as three-quarters of an inch of rain in parts of Los Angeles as of Thursday morning, according to Stuart Seto, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service. Possible thunderstorms Thursday afternoon could bring more rain.

In mountain areas, a high wind advisory is in effect and 4 to 8 inches of snow are expected overnight for elevations above 6,500 feet.

Skies are expected to turn partly cloudy by Friday night, with conditions becoming increasingly clear and sunny through the weekend.

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Twitter: @katelinthicum