1 killed by fallen tree as wet winter storm hits California

Wind gusts topped 115mph at Whitaker Peak along Interstate 5, which was more than strong enough to knock down trees and power lines.

A storm that drenched Southern California Sunday was expected to give way to sunshine Monday, though strong winds are likely to continue through this afternoon, forecasters said.

More than 30,000 Los Angeles households remain without power after strong winds from a blustery winter storm downed power lines throughout Southern California.

San Diego Fire and Rescue Capt. Joe Amador said: “To the people out here dealing with the rain: be careful, drive slowly and arrive alive”.

Locally heavy rain and an isolated severe thunderstorm are likely in southwestern California as low pressure moves throughout the area Sunday night. Today it will emerge from the Rocky Mountains, leaving heavy snow in higher elevations of the West, then intensify as it takes a track through the Plains states toward Chicago and the western Great Lakes.

Piers at Redondo Beach and Manhattan Beach were closed as the storm churned up high surf along west and northwest-facing beaches.

At this time, a total of more than 50,000 customers are waiting for electricity – including 40,000 Southern California Edison customers and about 12,000 Los Angeles Department of Water and Power customers.

“The winds may well turn out to be the defining feature of this system”, the National Weather Service said Sunday morning.

A flash flood watch was issued for foothill neighborhoods underneath wildfire burn areas, where the rain triggered fear of mudslides and debris flows of rocks and branches that had recently burned.

A large tree fell onto the eastbound 134 Freeway near Hollywood Way about 1:20 p.m., blocking all but the carpool lane and bringing traffic to a standstill for hours as crews worked to clear the roadway, according to the CHP.

Nic McGuire looks over a tree that had fallen in front of his home in the Grant Hill area of San Diego, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. North of the city, a crash during a heavy downpour involving two trucks closed southbound lanes of Interstate 5.

Once the clouds had parted Sunday, the storm had dropped several inches of rain on some portions of Southern California but just a fraction of an inch on others, according to the NWS.

The man was uninjured after being pulled to safety along the riverbank area east of downtown known for homeless encampments. No injuries were reported.

The NWS issued several advisories throughout the day, including a wind advisory that remains in effect until 6 p.m.