Rare July thunderstorms
Traffic in both directions of the major east-west highway has been stopped indefinitely while engineers assess the damage.
(Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)Over the weekend, the rare summer storm system caused beach closures because of lightning and washed out a vital bridge connecting shipping between California and Arizona. July rain is so unusual in Southern California that the storm broke a number of records for the month.
A bridge on Interstate 10 over Tex Wash between Coachella, Calif., and the Arizona border collapsed during Sunday’s flash flood.
(Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)
Caltrans inspectors look over a bridge on Interstate 10 between Coachella, Calif., and the Arizona border that washed out during Sunday’s flash flood.
(Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)
Sunday’s flash flood drove boulders, sand and desert trees down Tex Wash near Desert Center, Calif., damaging the bridge.
(Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)Advertisement
Caltrans engineers check the condition of a 1932 bridge that parallels Interstate 10 and was damaged out during Sunday’s flash flood.
(Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)
California Highway Patrol vehicles block a section of Interstate 10 between Coachella, Calif., and the Arizona border, where Sunday’s flash floods washed out a bridge over a desert wash.
(Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)CalTrans inspectors assess the condition of the westbound bridge on Interstate 10. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)
A vehicle drives through a flooded section of the road that was closed off on Pebble Beach Drive in Victorville, Calif.
(David Pardo / Associated Press)Advertisement
Several people observe the mud and rocks that closed Lone Pine Canyon Road in Wrightwood, Calif.
(David Pardo / Associated Press)
A man jumps over a small flow of water where rocks and mud closed Lone Pine Canyon Road after it rained in Wrightwood, Calif.
(David Pardo / Associated Press)
Mockingbird Road is covered in mud and rocks after it rained in Wrightwood, Calif.
(David Pardo / Associated Press)
Traffic moves over the Santa Susana Pass on State Route 118 as rain falls Saturday.
(Michael Robinson Chávez / Los Angeles Times)Advertisement
Lighting and rain on Saturday forced beach closures along the Southern California coast but did not deter some beachgoers and fishermen from heading to the Malibu Pier.
(Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)
Beach-goers in Malibu walk along the water during Saturday’s rain storms.
(Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)
Two women duck under a jacket to stay dry while walking on the Santa Monica pier on Saturday. Santa Monica Beach and others were closed after lightning was observed.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Rain gathers on windows as beach-goers come and go from Santa Monica Beach on Saturday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)Advertisement
Lightning splits the sky over downtown Los Angeles July 18, 2015. More storms could be ahead in the coming days.
(Harry Chandler / For The Times)
Bummed out surfers pack up to leave the shore in Santa Monica after a beach closure Saturday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Los Angeles County Fire Dept. Lifeguard Capt. Remy Smith announces to beachgoers that Santa Monica and all other Los Angeles County beaches are closed because of the potential for lightning strikes after lightning was observed in Santa Monica on Saturday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Surfers head out to the beach but then have to turn around after being advised that all Los Angeles County beaches were closed due to lightning.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)Advertisement
Umbrella-toting beachgoers walk across the beach amid rain showers in Santa Monica.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
A bummed-out surfer prepares to leave Santa Monica beach after lifeguards announced that all L.A. County beaches are closed. Lightning forced the closure for about two hours Saturday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)