Calif. storm causes floods, wind damage

LOS ANGELES -- The second in a series of storms roared into Southern California on Tuesday, bringing heavy rains and winds that smashed windows, submerged cars and flipped a sport utility vehicle along a stretch of coastline.

The thunderstorm surged ashore with fierce, rotating winds in southern Los Angeles County beach towns and areas of Orange and San Diego counties.

Kimmara Acosta, 51, a saleswoman at Castle Tile in Costa Mesa, was sitting at her desk in the showroom when she saw palm trees outside blowing horizontally.

"The wind kind of whipped through the parking lot and the window blew in," she said, still breathless a half-hour later. "It was like an explosion. My mind said 'earthquake!' and I ducked under the desk."

The wind threw shards of glass across the room, but tile displays and a desk protected Acosta. No one was hurt.

Andy Dotson watches the flow of mud and debris flood the street in front of his home on Skyland Drive in Sierra Madre, Calif. Monday Jan. 18, 2010. Heavy storm passed through the area causing flooding and mudslides. (AP Photo/Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)**MANDATORY CREDIT NO MAGS, NO SALES NO FOREIGN NO TELEVISION, INTERNET **

Niki Mojica, 31, a waitress at Woody's Diner in Seal Beach, said, "It was crazy because the wind was coming down. The sky turned dark gray and then a huge gust of wind just blew open our front door."

No major damage or injuries were reported during the storm that the National Weather Service said was likely the result of a tornado.

The gusting winds also blew a parked Ford Explorer SUV onto its side and knocked over trees. In Irvine, a 25-foot square section of roof collapsed at a furniture company.

There also were reports of damaged boats and 16 people being displaced from flooded buildings in the San Pedro harbor area.

The fast-moving thunderstorm moved on in minutes, leaving spotty sunshine as it headed into Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

Low-lying beach communities found some streets underwater and other roads turned into muddy swamps. Televised reports showed parked cars with water up to the hoods and kayakers paddling through a flooded suburb.

Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Greg McKeown said there was flooding in Westminster, San Juan Capistrano and Placentia.

Metrolink spokesman Francisco Oaxaca said the commuter rail lines in Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties were shut down for about an hour because of a tornado warning.

The thunderstorm came in the midst of a larger storm front that moved in from offshore.

Flash flood watches remained for areas of Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties where wildfires in 2008 and last year stripped hillsides down to bare, black earth.

The chance of mudslides and flooding -- a worry after every rainstorm -- intensified after a downpour Monday dumped 2 to 5 inches of rain in the mountains and left catch basins choked with debris.

A strong jet stream was sending a line of storms ashore from the Pacific Ocean that was expected to continue through Thursday.

In Northern California, rain and high winds caused numerous traffic tie-ups and road closures during the morning commute.

In San Jose, three people rescued a man from a burning car when it spun out on a rain-soaked road and hit a crosswalk sign. The rescuers used a knife to cut the man loose from his seat belt then pulled him to safety just seconds before the car burst into flames, authorities said.

The man's condition was not immediately known.

Interstate 5, a main state highway, was closed in Redding due to a downed line. Highway 70 near the border of Butte and Plumas counties remained closed after a rock slid onto the roadway Monday. The rock must be blasted apart to clear the roadway.