So. Calif. had some rip roaring weather yesterday

[donsu]

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/woalert.php?lang=eng


Description:

Volatile weather swept through Southern California on Tuesday, bringing downpours, hail, snow and fierce winds that capsized boats and downed power lines and trees, cutting power to more than 157,000 utility customers. The roof was torn off the Orange County Fire Authority's aviation building in Fullerton, and harbor patrol officers made numerous rescues involving capsized watercraft in Newport Bay and offshore. A large section of roof laminate and asphalt tile landed on four cars and caused minor damages but no injuries, said fire Capt. Stephen Miller. Miller said fire crews also were responding to "tons" of reports of downed trees and power lines. "It was pretty crazy out there. I was driving on the freeway and saw many dust storms," Miller said.

Winds gusting up to 40 mph caused a small powerboat and three outriggers to capsize, Orange County sheriff's Sgt. David Ginther said. He said members of the Newport Beach Harbor Patrol rescued a man whose 11-foot boat capsized about a mile off Laguna Beach after the sailor used a cell phone to call 911. In Newport Bay, 24 members of a UC Irvine rowing crew were thrown into the water when their boats flipped. Some students swam ashore while others were rescued from the frigid water, Ginther said. Snow and flurries were reported in desert and mountain areas. "The sky went dark, and for about 10 minutes it kind of snowed," said Larry Prantner, manager of Cavi at the Big Oaks Lodge restaurant in the Santa Clarita community of Saugus. "I've never seen weather like this," he added. "It's March and I'm wearing a coat and starting a fire at the fireplace." Four electrical transmission towers blew down and a fifth was damaged in the eastern Los Angeles County city of Commerce, and a dozen power poles came down, too, said Southern California Edison spokesman Gil Alexander. The day dawned clear and breezy across Southern California, but fast-moving clouds blotted out the sun at times as downpours pelted parts of greater Los Angeles, then just as rapidly gave way to blue skies.

Strong winds accompanied by sporadic showers and hail were driven by a fast-moving cold front that moved from the Central Coast down to Southern California, said National Weather Service meteorologist Eric Boldt. "The front moved through Los Angeles before sunrise, and as the day progressed, heating generated unstable air and helped cause the gusty winds," Boldt said. About 137,400 Southern California Edison customers had outages during the day, but only about 10,400 remained blacked out late afternoon, the utility said. Another 20,000 Los Angeles Department of Water and Power customers throughout the city also lost power, said spokeswoman Kim Hughes.

All available crews were dispatched to hard-hit areas including Montebello, Downey, Commerce, Long Beach, Bellflower, Cerritos, Bell Gardens, Norwalk, Lakewood, Rosemead, Monterey Park, San Gabriel, Sierra Madre, Monrovia, Alhambra, South El Monte, San Marino, Brea, Santa Ana, Whittier, Cypress and Huntington Beach.

[Webster Green]

1. It was very windy in the North Bay all day yesterday.

Lots of trees down, and power out.

[Initech]

2. That was some crazy shit yesterday.

It felt like it was hurricane weather one minute, then it completely cleared up the next!

[GregD]

3. Mount Shasta, CA (1 hour south of Oregon)

I spoke with a client in Gold Beach, OR yesterday and he was getting 50mph winds mid-morning. We got it last night. The wind was blowing so hard I was shocked that trees were not lost.

[kestrel91316]

4. Here in Woodland Hills we lost power for about 2 hours in the late afternoon.

I had to hang out at the clinic, monitoring a patient in recovery with a flashlight, lol. When the power came back on, I had lost my AT&T DSL internet access (HORRORS!!), but it was fine this AM.

When the power goes, the phone goes, too. So we pretty much have to shut the clinic down, except for people picking up meds and foods and such, and they have to pay cash or check (no cc terminal w/o power).

We lose power 2-3 times a year, and always either when it's really windy or really hot (110+).