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SoCal Got A Lightning Show With Thunderous Applause
This photo, taken by Mike Eliason of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, shows lightning strikes over Santa Barbara on March 5, 2019. (Courtesy Mike Eliason via Twitter)
We're all so adorable with our West Coast wonder. Southern California isn't known for big thunderstorms, so when one does roll in, many of us understandably freak out and/or tell the internet about it.
It was hard to miss the show last night, with bolts of electricity punctuating the sky, followed by loud roars late into the night. Plenty of local tweeters captured the lightning in a digital bottle for all of us to enjoy.
The storm in Santa Monica right now is so crazy #LArain pic.twitter.com/ibgZJ28DHd
— j (@jamielandis123) March 6, 2019
#CAwx- Lightning strikes in the skies above Santa Barbara, CA, March 5, 2019, as seen in these views from Stearns Wharf. pic.twitter.com/93SziH1QjS
— SBCFireInfo (@EliasonMike) March 6, 2019
Whoa! We've had over 1,200 lightning strikes tonight. @Stu_Mundel in #Sky2 was looking at the Playa del Rey area when one touched the ground causing a transformer to blow. #CBSLA pic.twitter.com/Lafi0544GG
— Mike Rogers (@MikeRogersTV) March 6, 2019
Stay safe, Gauchos. Nexus photographers were out during the storm and captured some of the lighting that hit Santa Barbara just a few minutes ago. 📸 by Will Tracy and Cameron Hsieh pic.twitter.com/BTLvT1y2K8
— Daily Nexus (@dailynexus) March 6, 2019
Oooooooo we’re getting the good stuff in Pasadena pic.twitter.com/auU9OlZX72
— Ryan Fonseca (@RyFons) March 6, 2019
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The storm also created hazards at Los Angeles International Airport Tuesday night, where terminals lost power and a flight had to return to the airport after being struck by lightning, according to NBC Los Angeles.
The weather event is such a novelty in Southern California the National Weather Service shared some tips for how to watch the storm safely, including not being in a bathtub during an electrical storm. Really.
"The metal pipes that bring water into the house can also transmit the electrical charge to the tub," NWS officials wrote. So now that's a thing we know and can fear.
Please be careful watching the lightning storms tonight.
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) March 6, 2019
Don't be:
> on or in water
> out in the open
> near the tallest objects
such as trees and powerpoles
> near/on metal
such as patios and bleachers
> in a bathtub
Don't be a statistic!#Lightning #CAwx
STORM HAZARDS & WARNINGS
The atmospheric river storm system was expected to drop more heavy rain to the region Wednesday, with up to 4 inches in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties and 1 ½ inch in L.A. County.
That brought the risk of flooding and debris flows, especially in recent wildfire burn zones. A flood advisory was issued for L.A. County through 10:30 Wednesday morning, but the heavier rain had moved out of the area around 11 a.m.
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An L.A. County beach advisory is in effect due to the presence of bacteria, debris and other hazards washed down by #LArain. Avoid contact with ocean water around storm drains, creeks & rivers through 7 a.m. on Sat, March 9. pic.twitter.com/vbiJIj6yTl
— Los Angeles County (@CountyofLA) March 6, 2019
The morning rain also caused its usual trouble on local roads, including crashes, flooding, mudslides and rock slides.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND RESOURCES
For updates throughout the day, including lists of road closures, evacuation orders and flood warnings, check the following sites:
- Los Angeles County
- Ventura County
- Santa Barbara County
- National Weather Service Los Angeles
- California Highway Patrol on Twitter
- Caltrans District 7 on Twitter
- City of Malibu
- L.A. County Fire Department on Twitter
UPDATES:
12:58 p.m.: This article was updated with the latest information from weather forecasters.
This article was originally published at 8 a.m.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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