Community Corner

Thunderstorms Bring Heavy Rains to Idyllwild, Beaumont Areas

Heavy summer rain pummeled the Idyllwild area Friday, as forecasters predicted nickel-sized hail in the mountains of western Riverside County.

What first started as light rain at noon into a heavy storm a half hour later, with heavy rain reported in the Lake Hemet area. There was also heavy rain reported on Highway 60 west of Beaumont, a California Highway Patrol dispatcher said.

Hail and rain drenched Idyllwild by midday, the CHP reported.

Find out what's happening in Banning-Beaumontwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The National Weather Service reported that a strong thunderstorm near Yucaipa appeared stationary but moved, bringing hail, lightning and gusts of up to 50 mph.

Affected areas include Yucaipa, Mentone and Forest Fall, the NWS reported.

Find out what's happening in Banning-Beaumontwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The National Weather Service at San Diego said its radar showed that the thunder cell was not moving, and was generating frequent lightning strikes.

The storms are the aftermath of a wave of subtropical moisture that blew northwest out of Mexico Thursday, causing a huge dust storm in Phoenix and heavy rain in the Tucson area.

— City News Service. 


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