Spring thunderstorm brings quarter-size hail, gusty winds and heavy rain to SoCal
Hail was reported in locations like Chatsworth, Azusa, and San Dimas.
LOS ANGELES COUNTY (KABC) -- Many residents in some parts of Southern California saw quarter-size hail and gusty winds Sunday as thunderstorms were reported throughout the afternoon.
The National Weather Service issued severe thunderstorm warnings for central Los Angeles County, and thunderstorms and hail were reported over Alhambra and near West Covina.
Video sent to Eyewitness News from a viewer in Duarte showed heavy hail falling in his backyard, pounding a covered deck and making a big splash in a pool. Hail was also reported in locations like Chatsworth, Azusa, and San Dimas.
National Weather Service forecasters described this weekend's rain and snow as "a very modest system at best with regard to rainfall amounts.''
On Saturday, Lancaster Airport set a record for the date with .53 inches of rain, breaking the record of .39 inches set in 1995, according to the NWS.
"A lingering storm system will continue a cold and unsettled weather pattern into Sunday,'' the NWS said. "Scattered showers with isolated thunderstorms are possible with snow levels lowering to as low as 3,500 feet. West to northwest winds will continue to strengthen through Sunday evening as a tight northerly pressure difference develops across the state. Warmer and drier weather is expected for early week, than another storm system, potentially heavy rainfall, is possible for next weekend.''
The weather service said rainfall totals through Sunday night will generally be 0.25 inches or less for most areas, but the northern mountain slopes could get near 1 inch.
Wind advisories were in effect until 8 p.m. Sunday in the downtown and west Los Angeles area, and from 4 p.m. Sunday until 3 a.m. Monday in the Santa Clarita Valley, where gusts up to 40 mph were expected. The Antelope Valley was expected to see gusts of 45 mph Sunday afternoon, possibly increasing to 65 mph Sunday night.
Sunday's highs were in the 50s and lower 60s. Overnight lows were expected to drop into the 30s in the mountains and high desert.
The very cold air mass for this time of year is supporting snow levels already down to between 3,000 and 4,000 feet per the Vandenberg radar with snow also reported at the Sandberg (4,500 ft elevation) sensor in the northwest LA mountains with a temperature of 34 degrees,'' the NWS said.
City News Service, Inc. contributed to this report.
