It doesn't take a lot of rain to create some treacherous conditions on Southern California freeways. The CHP said there were 50 collisions between the hours of 4 a.m. and 7 a.m., which is 7 times more than a normal morning.
In the city of Hawthorne, a driver lost control on the slick road, slamming into a utility pole just after midnight. One person was killed and another person was rushed to a hospital.
The accident happened a few hours after rainfall began.
The National Weather Service issued a flood advisory for the burn areas, then extended it as the stubborn storm persisted through the morning. K-rails have been bolted down to the ground to defend homes against whatever may flow from the foothills.
Monica Dalmayer of La Crescenta said she didn't expect the downpour.
"They said it was going to be light," she said.
