Strong Storm Marks the First Day of Spring

A strong storm welcomed the first day of spring with heavy rain and powerful winds that made life miserable for Los Angeles Marathon runners, while slick roads, mudslides and flooding turned the roadways into obstacle courses for drivers.

Forecasters said they had a busy day tracking the storm as it moved into Los Angeles County. Beverly Hills has sees about 3 inches of rainfall.

"We have issued severe thunderstorm warnings, flash flood warnings, winter storm warnings, high wind warnings, a storm warning, a flash flood watch, a severe weather watch, a gale watch, a winter weather advisory, a flood advisory, a high surf advisory and a small craft advisory," Bill Hoffer, a spokesman with the National Weather Service in Oxnard, CA, said Sunday evening. "That's the kind of day it's been."

The forecast for tonight calls for heavy rain with a slight chance of thunderstorms and lows in the mid-40s to low-50s. There's a chance of showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms Monday morning, but the storm system will be tapering off into the afternoon, Hoffer said.

Today's rains made the challenge of completing a marathon even more difficult for those who braved the elements to run the 26th Los Angeles Marathon. At least a dozen runners were taken to local hospitals for treatment of hypothermia, officials told Santa Monica Patch.