Rain moves through LA, causes flooding in Boyle Heights

LOS ANGELES (CNS) - An otherwise sunny day quickly turned dark in select areas Monday, dumping rain in the downtown and other areas, even causing street flooding in Boyle Heights that swamped some vehicles.

While the sun was shining much of the day, a slow-moving storm cell developed over the downtown area late this afternoon, causing moderate to heavy showers. According to the NWS, one rain gauge registered about a half-inch of rain.

Additional rain storms then developed along a line stretching from Torrance to Glendale.

Wow! Some ominous clouds over the Los Angeles skyline on Monday afternoon (via SkyFOX).

From Christine O'Donnell:

Clogged storm drains caused serious flooding on Bernal Avenue in Boyle Heights. A storm cell moved through the area water and debris to rush to the bottom of the street causing a flood. Several cars were damaged and one home found it's basement and garage full of water.

"Oh my gosh, that car's stuck in the middle of the street," yelled Lety Medina as she watched rain water rise around her recording it on her cell phone. The water flooded two of her families cars along with several others on the street. One woman she said had to swim from her car to higher ground.

"I have never seen this in the 46 years i've lived here," Medina said. Her brother Manuel Medina watched from his front porch.

"It started in a matter of four to five minutes," Manuel Medina said. "The rain just started coming down, I don't know how they gauge that, but it came down faster than I've seen before. The drains were plugged up," Manuel said.

One man road his bicycle through the flood water to try and unclog the drain. Others remained trapped inside their cars with their flashers on, praying for the city to come clear the sewer.

Almost an hour after the sudden storm Miguel Juarez and his friend use cups and buckets to drain their car, happy they are both safe.

You can't beat nature," Juarez said, "It's not fair, but what is."

Perhaps the worst hit, was the corner property. FOX11's news camera was rolling as Rene Navarrete assessed his home. "Oh my gosh," Navarrete said as he watched water gush out his basement door. He learned his entire basement and garage had been filled with water. "It was like watching a river running, it was scary," Navarrete said mentioning it would cost thousands of dollars to fix.

As for the Medina family, they say their cars sustained damages, but they're glad everyone on their street is okay. "Mother nature wet it up and she'll dry it up too," manuel Medina said.

Sanitation workers spent five hours clearing the storm drains. Neighbors say their worried this will continue to be an issue on their low-lying street, especially because more rain is expected in the coming months.

Street flooding swamped a few vehicles above their wheel wells in the 500 block of South Bernal Avenue in the Boyle Heights area until crews responded and cleared debris from clogged storm drains.

Forecasters said earlier that clouds were expected to linger in the area, carrying the possibility of afternoon or evening showers, primarily in the mountains.

As the week advances, the Southland is expected to see a warming trend as a high-pressure system builds. Temperatures will then rise above normal into the weekend, according to the NWS.

"High temperatures should get into the lower to mid 80s over most coastal and valley locations on Tuesday, and firmly into the 80s and possible low-90s by Wednesday,'' according to the NWS. "It will feel drier as well, but with plenty of moisture to the east it will not get that dry.''

Forecasters noted that some clouds will continue to linger over the San Gabriel Mountains, carrying a slight chance of light showers through Thursday.