Southern California Gets Rain, Hail, Lightning and ‘Thunder’ – Orange County Register

Meteorologists say rain, hail, lightning and even “thundersnow” were reported across Southern California on Tuesday, February 15, as the region saw a significant drop in temperatures. – maybe up to 30 degrees – in the middle of a winter storm.

Rich Thompson, a meteorologist with the Los Angeles National Weather Service, said reports of pea-sized hail began earlier in the day and moved eastward through Los Angeles County and Inland. Empire in the afternoon. Thompson said about an inch of hail accumulation was recorded in Pasadena along with several reports of hail in Burbank. Hail was observed elsewhere, including in Upland and Yorba Linda.

Late in the afternoon, LA County beaches were closed due to lightning strikes with lifeguards “clearing the water and advising beach patrons to seek shelter immediately.”

These roofs are not allowed to be white! pic.twitter.com/GngoHaFO1A

– Daniel Tedford (@dgtedford) February 16, 2022

Small hailstones pour down in the current highlands pic.twitter.com/BIYALa2RIQ

– Quinn Wilson (@qrwriter) February 16, 2022

Thompson said isolated thunderstorms moved through Los Angeles County from Point Mugu to the San Gabriel Valley by afternoon. This band of storms brings thunder and “heavy rain in a short time”, he said.

According to Elizabeth Schenk, meteorologist with the NWS’ San Diego office, in the mountains of San Bernardino County, “thundersnow” was reported. Thundersnow is described as a rare weather phenomenon in which thunder and lightning are mainly accompanied by snow rather than rain, according to the NWS.

Snowfall fell as low as 3,100 feet in the mountains of San Bernardino County, and “several inches” of snow accumulation was observed at higher elevations, Schenk reports, as reported by Schenk. Thompson said no snow has been reported across the mountains of Los Angeles County, however, there is a chance of snow throughout the evening at higher elevations.

In the San Gabriel Mountains, 0.3 inches of rain was recorded one meter north of Glendora and San Dimas, according to the NWS’ Los Angeles Office. In the Inland Empire, recorded rainfall ranges from one hundredth of an inch to about a quarter of an inch, Schenk said.

Temperatures ranged from the mid-50s to mid-60s throughout Los Angeles County, about 15 degrees below Monday’s high, Thompson said. In the Inland Empire, similarly high temperatures were observed, and some 15 to 30 degrees lower than Monday’s levels, Schenk said.

The storm is expected to pass through the area Tuesday night and bring warmer weather on Wednesday, February 16, Schenk said. Wind conditions in Santa Ana are expected to return to the area Wednesday night through Thursday, she said.