Hail turns Southern California beach cities white

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- A fast-moving storm turned Southern California beach cities like Huntington Beach and Long Beach white from hail on Monday.

In Huntington Beach, ABC7 viewers captured cellphone videos and photos of a thunderstorm and pea-sized hail pelting the beach town.

According to the National Weather Service, an inch of icy pellets coated the sand.

"All of the sudden it just started hailing and snowing and it was amazing. I've never seen anything like it," Patrice Demendoza said.

Many residents in the area rushed out to check out the scene and played in the thin layer of ice. Some parents even let their kids play hooky to experience the rare weather.

"My parents pulled me out of school because they told me there was snow, and then they showed me pictures and there was," Karlee Conn,9, said.

Laura Fennel and her 5-year-old son Dominic waited for the storm to pass and then she took him out to let him make a snowman on the beach.

"It was completely covered, but we just missed it. It's starting to melt, but it's pretty awesome because we don't see it like this," Fennell said.

Other residents went out with boogie boards to go "sledding." But once the sun came out, the ice melted fast and ended a bizarre day at the beach.

Brianna Burkhart, who works at Duke's restaurant on the pier, says the sky suddenly turned dark and then opened up. When it was all over, the beach was completely white like snow, she said.

This storm is the second system to hit the Southland. Over the weekend, many parts of Southern California saw heavy rain and hail.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.