LOS ANGELES - The tail end of a powerful storm doused the Southland with more rain Wednesday, contributing to mudslides, flooding and hundreds of potholes that damaged hundreds of cars across the area and left motorists stranded.
National Weather Service forecasters said the rain will diminish Wednesday, but the damage was done overnight, with some areas receiving rain at rates topping a half-inch per hour.
"A drying and warming trend will establish through today and tonight as the storm system vacates the region and ridging builds into the West Coast through Friday," according to the NWS. "Temperatures will warm into Thursday as a weak offshore flow pattern develops."
Flood watches and advisories that had been issued across most of Los Angeles County were lifted by mid-morning Wednesday. But the heavy overnight rain left lingering impacts.
Flooding and mudflows were reported across the area, including on La Brea Avenue near Baldwin Hills. More troubling for many motorists were the potholes. More than 30 cars became disabled due to potholes on the northbound 71 Freeway at Holt Avenue in Pomona, with similar reports of damaging potholes across the region.
At LAX, 1.97 inches was reported Tuesday by the NWS, the sixth most for any day in March. The record daily rainfall at LAX for March was 3.1 inches set on March 7, 1968.
Dry weather is expected to return Wednesday night through at least Friday, with a chance of light precipitation over the weekend.