Thursday, September 10, 2015

Extreme Weather Barrages Southern California, Leaving at Least 1 Dead

Carolyn Williams
Published: September 10, 2015

A bout of extreme weather is barraging Southern California with heat, hail and flooding, which has killed one and stranded several motorists.
Brett Alan Usher, 25, died Tuesday in Forest Falls, California, after he was swept away by floodwaters during a first date, KTLA-TV reported. The couple was trying cross a swollen river when they were pulled under. His body was later recovered by authorities.
The woman was reunited with her family after she was discovered by hikers, NBC News reported.
"It is scary," hiker Carlos Rojas told NBC News. "We just found her in a state of shock. She was screaming for help."
(MORE: Linda Weakening Quickly; Still Channeling Moisture Into the Desert Southwest)
Raging floodwaters stranded multiple motorists in Southern California, and San Bernardino County firefighters conducted a swift-water rescue Tuesday night, according to the Victor Valley Daily Press.
“Moisture from Tropical Storm Linda is reaching north into portions of Southern California. The amount of moisture in the atmosphere is considerably above average and will help promote drenching thunderstorms across the area through the end of the week,” said weather.com meteorologist Quincy Vagell.
Intense lightning strikes left thousands of customers without power after power poles were hit in northern Los Angeles County’s Antelope Valley, the Los Angeles Times said. Lightning caused a small brush fire, as well.
Brett n Cindy Saari @BrettCindySaari
Southern California Lightning tonight

Scorching temperatures are also searing the area, prompting the National Weather Service to warn the young and old as “temperatures will be high enough to create possible health risks.”
Energy demand for Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) customers hit the highest peak of 2015 on Tuesday, according to a press release from LADWP. Customers used an estimated 5,926 megawatts, and the demand is fast-approaching the all-time high of 6,396 MW in 2014.
Wednesday evening, more than 15,000 customers lost power in Southern California, according to a separate L.A. Times report.
LADWP @LADWP
Mayor@ericgarcetti asks LA to conserve energy during the heat wave. 2nd highest energy demand on record at 6276MW
· Los Angeles, CA, United States

Temperatures soared as high as 101 degrees Wednesday in downtown Los Angeles, and Long Beach Airport reached 103, according to the Associated Press. Long Beach's old record for the day was 98 degrees, the report added.
The brutal heat was equally as uncomfortable for tourists as it was unexpected. Rikhardur Fridriksson, visiting San Francisco from Iceland, told the AP that his original plans to walk around the city all day were cut short by the high temperatures, and after just 45 minutes outside, he sought indoor shelter and air conditioning.
"I thought it would be autumn here," he said. "I was definitely expecting cooler weather."
The barrage of wild weather is expected to continue through at least Thursday, with heat advisories, excessive heat warnings and flash flood watches issued across the region.
MORE: Huntington Beach, California, Hail - March 2015
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