Lightning Storm Brings OC Mudslides, Hail, and Water Spouts

A “very active” band of storms pummeled Orange County today, with lighting strikes sighted in Corona Del Mar beach, a water spout off San Clemente, pounding hail, and mudslides in Silverado Canyon. Forecasters predict the ongoing possibility of additional waterspouts and tornadoes.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for the fire- denuded hillsides of Silverado Canyon.A voluntary evacuation order was in effect in Silverado Canyon, and an evacuation center was established at Silverado Community Center, 27641 Silverado Canyon Road. Few residents, however, were believed to have actually evacuated the area.

When the flash flood warning was issued around midday, Orange County emergency-operations officials urged Silverado Canyon residents to “move to higher ground and take immediate measures to protect life and property.” They warned that the storm could produce “damaging winds, hail, lightning and heavy rain.”

Nearly 1,000 acres were scorched in a mid-September 2014 blaze, making the hillside ripe for mudslides.

Forecasters were also predicting high surf later today. Six-foot waves were reported at Huntington Beach just before 1 p.m., but could reach as high as 9 or 10 feet later, Moede said.

In Santa Ana, firefighters and public works officials were responding to flooded homes and flowing water through backyards in the area of East Warner Avenue and Cedar Street, according to Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi.

In Garden Grove, a woman climbed into a storm drain just before 12:20 p.m. at Ranney Avenue and Taft Street for unknown reasons and firefighters and police raced to rescue her, but she was already out of the water before first responders got there, according to Garden Grove fire Capt. Thanh Nguyen.

Lifeguards initiated a voluntary evacuation along the coast in Newport Beach after they spotted lightning, according to city spokeswoman Tara Finnigan. But there were no sightings of lightning strikes on the beaches, she said.

Huntington Beach lifeguards heard thunder, but did not see any lightning so there were no evacuations, Huntington Beach lifeguard Lt. Claude Panis said. The deluge kept beachgoers away anyway, he said.

City News Service; Photo: pixabay.com