MORE RAIN, MORE RAIN COMING THIS WAY Weather: First of series of storms creates funnel clouds, fender benders Los Angeles Times Orange County Metro Wednesday, April 1, 1998 By Erika Chavez Times Staff Writer The latest, but certainly not the last, storm to hit Southern California this season brought some frightening surprises along with the usual wind, rain and traffic jams. About 14 funnel clouds or waterspouts developed off the coast of Orange County on Tuesday, one hitting ground briefly in Huntington Beach, but causing no damage. "I saw four funnel clouds offshore, and they came pretty close to touching down," said Huntington State Beach lifeguard Leon Pickens. "There was one that was coming in right over us and it was pretty big, but is dissipated before it came to shore." Others stayed offshore near Huntington and Sunset Beaches, officials said. Funnel clouds and waterspouts - the former don't touch the surface of the water and the latter do - extend downward from storm clouds. Joe Dandrea, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service, estimated they might have reached about a mile in height Tuesday. The phenomena are caused by warm air rising into cooler air. Pockets can cause the air to start spinning, developing into a funnel or a spout. Meanwhile, homeowners in hard-hit Laguna Niguel were enduring a storm that was expected to deliver two inches of rain by this morning, according to WeatherData, Inc., which provides forecasts for The Times. Recent storms have undermined a hillside in Laguna Niguel, badly damaging several homes and causing several others to topple. More than a dozen more homes are threatened because "the hill is still moving a little bit," city spokesperson Solveig Darner said. The storm also dropped snow on communities from La Crescenta to Palmdale, with accumulations of up to four inches shutting down the Antelope Valley Freeway. Snow also fell in Leona Valley, Lake Hughes and Littlerock. The storm is the beginning of a cold, soggy weather pattern expected to last for at least a week, according to WeatherData. There's a chance of scattered showers throughout the day today. Thursday may be the only dry day before a second storm moves in Friday, with a third storm expected Sunday. The storm system also is bringing unseasonably cool temperatures that could dip into the upper 30s by tonight, according to WeatherData. [HOME PAGE] [WHAT'S NEW] [VERDICTS & SETTLEMENTS] [FIRM PROFILE] [BIOGRAPHIES] [CLIENT SERVICES] [CONSTRUCTION DEFECTS] [ONLINE PRESS] [LAW & LEGISLATION] [CLAIM DEVELOPMENT] [UPCOMING EVENTS] [CONTACT US] © Copyright 1996, 1997, 1998 The Miller Law Firm All rights Reserved. If you experience problems or have questions, contact us at Info@ConstructionDefects.com.