Storm Hits and Proves a Traffic Nightmare

The much anticipated rain combined with Friday traffic proved to be the perfect storm for traffic conditions.  Frustrated drivers found themselves suffering through snarled lanes on virtually every major street in Sherman Oaks.  The 101 saw stop and go traffic with long lines at all on and off ramps.

"It's awful," said commuter Neil Meyer.  "It's bad enough on Friday but this [the rain] makes it so much worse.”

And, it appears, the true worst is yet to come.  The National Weather Service predicts the strongest shower to hit into the evening and overnight.

DWP spokesperson Mary Ann Pierson reported on outage at Magnolia Boulevard and Fulton Avenue. 

"We have a line down caused by the weather," she said.  "Crews are on the way with about 450 services affected."

The first of the rain hit just after 2pm continuing steadily for several hours.  It's just the first wave of a storm that could dump as much as three to six inches in the foothills.  Even after just 30 minutes of rain, runoff was already spotted in the foothills below Ventura Blvd.

"It's okay, we need it," said Evelyn Rodgers as she hid under her umbrella outside the Ralphs grocery Store at Vantura Blvd. and Hazeltine Ave.