by TImothy Rutt

In about the past hour (writing at 6:15 PM) the weather has turned from blue skies to clouds and hot, humid breezes.  The National Weather Service has issued a thunderstorm and flash flood warning for our area, but so far it seems like the high desert and mountains will be most affected.  Radar for our area (pictured) looks like we’ll catch the edge of it:

FLASH FLOOD WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OXNARD CA 522 PM PDT SUN SEP 9 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OXNARD HAS ISSUED A * FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR… EAST CENTRAL LOS ANGELES COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA…

* UNTIL 815 PM PDT

* AT 513 PM PDT…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED FLASH FLOODING FROM A THUNDERSTORM 4 MILES SOUTHEAST OF PEARBLOSSOM…OR 10 MILES NORTH OF FALLING SPRINGS. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATES RAINFALL RATES BETWEEN 1 AND 2 INCHES PER HOUR MAY HAVE FALLEN ACROSS THE AREA. FLOODING WILL LIKELY OCCUR ACROSS THE HIGHWAYS 2 AND 138.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE PEARBLOSSOM AND CRYSTALAIRE.

And earlier:

 AT 439 PM PDT…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A 
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING NICKEL SIZE HAIL…AND 
DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 7 MILES 
NORTH OF FALLING SPRINGS…OR 21 MILES NORTHEAST OF SIERRA MADRE… 
AND MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 5 MPH. 

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL CROSS OVER THE ANGELES CREST HIGHWAY 
IN THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY MOUNTAINS WITHIN THE NEXT 10 MINUTES. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… 

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH…PREPARE 
IMMEDIATELY FOR DAMAGING WINDS…DESTRUCTIVE HAIL…AND DEADLY CLOUD 
TO GROUND LIGHTNING. PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER… 
PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT AWAY FROM WINDOWS.