Lightning, Hail, Snow, Road Closures In Orange County

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA — Wild weather hit the Orange County coast, Thursday afternoon. Storm clouds brought in thunder, lightning, and pea-sized hail that battered much of the county.

As of 5 p.m., westbound traffic was heavy as drivers attempted to traverse the Ortega Highway, which was closed in both directions, from San Juan Capistrano to Lake Elsinore due to extreme snow and ice conditions.

California Highway Patrol officers turned traffic the other way, making it a long drive home for many Orange County-bound drivers.

The National Weather Service reported a significant weather advisory for about an hour while storm cells drifted through eastern Orange County for nearly an hour.

"Pea size hail and winds of 30 mph came with those storms," an NWS spokesperson said.

Residents were caught in brief, but heavy, downpours, and cloud to ground lightning strikes occurred in the areas of Anaheim, Santa Ana, Irvine, Fontana, Huntington Beach, Garden Grove, Laguna Niguel, Mission Viejo, Lake Forest, Rancho Santa Margarita, Trabuco Canyon, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano.

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