More Blustery Weather in Store for Belmont Shore

Pick up those lawn umbrellas but only long enough to lash them down for gusty windows expected to continue through early Thursday, the National Weather Service says.

A cold Pacific storm that landed hard Wednesday brought record rain and high winds to Southern California, along with cold temperatures and more than three times the number of vehicle crashes over last week.

Record rainfall totals for Oct. 5 were set at Long Beach Airport (.33 of an inch), downtown Los Angeles (1.15 inches),  Los Angeles International Airport (.42 of an inch), according to the National Weather Service.

Long Beach's record for Wednesday beat the 1983 record for the day of .09 inches.

There were 481 collisions on Los Angeles County freeways and other highways patrolled by the California Highway Patrol between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m., compared to 138 in the same period a week ago when it was dry, said CHP Officer Francisco Villalobos.

He said that at least five people were killed in collisions, although it was not known how many of the collisions or fatalities were caused by the rain.

Scattered showers are forecast through Thursday afternoon. But even once the cold front passes, it will generate scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms, with some showers involving ``brief, heavy rainfall'' accompanied by gusty winds, according to the National Weather Service advisory. There might even be good news for you white-weather enthusiasts: some early-season snow fall across higher mountain elevations into Thursday morning, the NWS reports.

Winds reached 45 m.p.h. in Malibu Canyon. A cold and unstable air mass aloft will continue a cool and showery weather pattern into Thursday, according to a National Weather Service forecast. The NWS forecast highs for Thursday of 68 for Long Beach andsunny weather to return Friday.

City News Service contributed to this report