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LOS ANGELES (CNS) - The Southland was drying out from a wet New Year's Eve Sunday and looking forward to two days of dry, crisp weather before more rain hits the area later this week.
The forecast for Monday's Rose Parade and Rose Bowl football game in Pasadena calls for cloudy skies and cold temperatures but no rain, according to the National Weather Service.
However, rain could begin falling in Los Angeles and Orange County Monday night and continue into Tuesday morning, and a strong Pacific storm system is expected Wednesday into Thursday with heavy rain and strong winds possible.
Rainfall was heavy at times Saturday and early Sunday, causing a few problems on Southland roads. In West Covina, two people were extricated from a car stuck in three to four inches of water under Interstate 10, which experienced significant flooding Saturday.
In Tustin, the Orange County Fire Authority rescued five people from two vehicles on the flooded Fourth Street off-ramp from the Costa Mesa (55) Freeway at 11:53 p.m. Saturday. Authorities said one adult was sitting on top of a vehicle and four adults were sitting inside a second vehicle. No injuries were reported.
Also in Orange County, a voluntary evacuation warning that was issued Saturday for Silverado Canyon and Williams Canyon in the Bond Fire burn area due to possible debris flows along or near the burn scar was lifted Sunday morning.
The rain also kept crowds light at downtown Los Angeles' big New Year's Eve celebration in Grand Park. Organizers expected about 40,000 people to attend the event, but only a little more than 6,000 people showed up.
On Sunday morning, State Route 138 between SR 18 and 263rd Street East near the Los Angeles County/San Bernardino County line was closed for approximately three hours due to mud in the road, according to the California Highway Patrol.
A wind advisory was in effect until at least 7 p.m. Sunday for LA County beach areas including LAX, with gusts up to 45 mph expected, and until 10 p.m. in the mountains and Antelope Valley, where gusts up to 50 mph were expected.
And LA County health officials are warning people to avoid entering ocean water near discharging storm drains or rivers due to possible bacterial infection. The county Department of Public Health issued an ocean water quality rain advisory that will be in effect until at least 7 a.m. Tuesday.
Health officials noted that stormwater runoff that reaches the ocean can carry bacteria, chemicals, debris trash and other health hazards. People who come in contact with impacted water in the ocean could become ill, health officials said.
Information on beach conditions is available online at publichealth.lacounty.gov/beach/ or by calling 800-525-5662.