Heavy clouds looming over Southern California. Photo taken by Sydney Richardson from a highrise in downtown Long Beach Tuesday evening.
The National Weather Service is forecasting thunderstorms Tuesday evening in the Long Beach metro area extending northward into the eastern San Gabriel Valley and eastern portions of Antelope Valley. Dime-size hail and wind gusts of over 40 miles per hour are possible with these storms.
The weather advisory is in effect until 6:30PM today.
Chance of thunderstorms across much of SW CA this week due to good influx of monsoonal moisture from the east. #LAWeather#cawxpic.twitter.com/ks1CzqlWEc
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) August 1, 2017
Frequent lightning and heavy downpours can be expected with some of these storms, capable of producing localized flash flooding, according to the NWS. A flash flood watch is in effect for the Los Angeles County mountains and Antelope Valley.
At 425 pm, line of strong tstms approaching eastern LA county. Potential for heavy rainfall and frequent lightning. #LArain#LAWeatherpic.twitter.com/Z6q1Ed80bt
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) August 1, 2017
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm, seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle, NWS officials advised.
#BREAKINGNEWS: Huntington Beach’s city beach, including US Open event, evacuated due to lightning, officials say https://t.co/goiDiJOSEvpic.twitter.com/BKmM60nilc
— ABC7 Weather Center (@abc7weather) August 2, 2017
City News Service contributed to this report.