Two-day storm brings mudslides, snow to the Southland

Mudslides, flooded freeways and dangerous driving conditions plagued the Southland today thanks to a second straight day of rain, prompting road closures, mandatory evacuation orders in Orange County and even a skidding airplane in Burbank.

Although stronger than forecasters had anticipated, Thursday's rain never prompted any evacuation orders in the Malibu area, although some hillsides scorched in the recent Woolsey Fire sent mud and rocks cascading onto some mountain roads.

The biggest mudslide in the area occurred during the morning commute, inundating a stretch of Pacific Coast Highway near Leo Carrillo State Beach. All lanes were blocked in both directions for several hours, but the road was cleared and reopened by about midday.

In Orange County, voluntary evacuation orders were issued Thursday morning for select neighborhoods near the Holy Fire burn area, affecting the Trabuco Creek, Rose Canyon and Mystic Oaks/El Cariso areas. By early afternoon, however, the evacuation order was elevated to mandatory for Trabuco Creek, and residents in Rose Canyon were asked to shelter in place due to road closures at Trabuco Canyon Road at Rose Canyon and Plano Trabuco Road, according to Carrie Braun of the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

With showers expected to linger into the night, sheriff's officials said the evacuation orders will remain in place overnight.

The unexpected force of the storm was most evident in the northern reaches of Los Angeles County, where National Weather Service forecasters has initially said they didn't expect extensive snowfall. But by late morning, snow blanketed the area and forced a closure of the 5 Freeway through the Grapevine in both directions. Hundreds of vehicles were stranded on the closed highway, with no means of escaped from the jammed roadway.

The roadway was cleared and reopened by mid-afternoon.

A rainfall record for a Dec. 6 was set in downtown Los Angeles, with 1.9 inches falling. The previous record for the date was 1.01 inches in 1997.

In Santa Clarita, sheriff's deputies and county firefighters helped residents evacuate two homes that were affected by flooding around 9:30 a.m. in the 17800 block of Sierra Highway. The downpour also prompted a temporary closure of Sierra Highway in the area, but the water had subsided by late morning and lanes were reopened.

In Sun Valley, rainwater flooded a stretch of the Golden State (5) Freeway. All southbound lanes of the freeway were closed at Sheldon Street, and the Lankershim Boulevard, Sunland and Penrose onramps were shut down until the water receded.

At Hollywood Burbank Airport, a Southwest Airlines jet from Oakland skidded off the slick runway while landing, forcing a temporary ground-stop of all flights heading to the airport. No injuries were reported, but passengers reported a harrowing flight.

Orange County was hit with a strong rain cell late Thursday morning and into the afternoon, prompting a wave of flooding reports. Garden Grove police shut down northbound Magnolia Street between Imperial and Garden Grove Boulevard due to flooding. Rain water also inundated the intersection of Garden Grove Boulevard and Fairview.

Flooding was also reported off the 55 Freeway at Fourth Street in Tustin, with several vehicles trapped. Flash flooding was also reported in portions of Orange and at Balboa Island in Newport Beach.