Families flock to Manhattan Beach to catch rare glimpse of blanket of hail

MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- A winter storm that brought rain and snow to large swaths of Southern California also created a rare sight in Manhattan Beach, drawing local residents with something other than the ocean and some sun.

Families flocked to the beach community of El Porto to catch a glimpse of a blanket of hail that covered the sand Friday.

Due to possible lightning strikes, Los Angeles County Lifeguards briefly closed all beaches from Zuma to Marina del Rey. But once they reopened, the people were back on the sand.

The lifeguard division of the L.A. County Fire Departed tweeted a photo of a lifeguard tower surrounded in white. At first glance, it looked like snow, until they got up close.

"I just couldn't believe it. It's normally super hot or super sunny," said Francis Lake, who headed to the beach with his family to see the hail in person.

The slushy hail pellets came down with the latest storm to hit the region, catching many residents by surprise.

By Friday afternoon, the rain started to taper off across Southern California, but those in El Porto kept filtering in to catch a sight of the beach hail before it melted.

"It's really a true blessing," said Camden Stone.