Rip Current in Orange County, California

The first strong cold front of the winter season moved slowly across Southwest California. Steady rain fell over a two day period. The heaviest amounts were in the mountains and ranged from over 10 inches in the San Bernardino Mountains to around 4 inches in the San Diego Mountains. Three men, living in a flood control channel in San Bernardino, suffered hypothermia after being trapped by runoff coming down from the mountains. Numerous rock slides were reported along roads traversing the San Bernardino and Santa Ana Mountains. Strong winds over the mountains and deserts caused downed power lines and some damage to roofs and signs. Heavy surf, ranging between 10 and 15 feet, created strong rip currents.