Precipitation problems

Marisa O’Neil

The latest in a barrage of winter storms woke up Corona del Mar

resident Robin Smith early Monday morning.

But it wasn’t pounding rain, gusty wind or even a thunderclap that

roused her from her slumber. It was a Newport Beach police officer

knocking on her door.

“He said, ‘A tree’s fallen on your car and it’s not drivable,’”

she said.

A few blocks away, on Jasmine Avenue, Brad Oliver also slept

through the excitement of a tree making an unexpected visit. When he

woke up and looked outside, he found a large tree leaning

precariously against his house.

Firefighters came by and ushered Oliver and his family out while

crews sawed away at the large tree -- which toppled over, yanking its

roots out of the rain-soaked ground.

The home didn’t appear to have been badly damaged, Newport Beach

Fire Department spokeswoman Jennifer Schulz said.

During the last big rainstorm, another tree directly across the

street suffered the same fate, Oliver said, pointing at a round,

empty patch of dirt.

“We thought that was a big deal until this one,” he said.

Smith’s white Jeep Grand Cherokee was parked in the 400 block of

Orchid Avenue when the tree fell over, roots and all, and crunched

it.

Monday morning, the large tree trunk still lay across the rear

roof of the car. The roof was crushed, windows were smashed and the

front driver’s-side tire hovered precariously in the air with the

passenger-side tire perched on the curb.

And it would have to stay there, Smith said, until crews removed

the tree and told her she could get the car towed away for repairs.

The rest of Newport Beach and Costa Mesa suffered minor flooding

in some areas but reported no other damage.

Record rains hit John Wayne Airport on Monday, with 1.41 inches

falling, according to the National Weather Service. That beat a 1996

record of 1.3 inches, forecaster Noel Isla said.

The season’s total rainfall for the airport is more than 20

inches, Isla said. Last year’s total was 2.44 inches.

In Costa Mesa, 6 inches of rain have fallen since Thursday, said

Chuck Ducot, an amateur weather spotter for the National Weather

Service. In just 10 minutes on Monday, he measured one-third of an

inch.

“That’s a lot of rain in 10 minutes,” he said.

And don’t expect a break any time soon, Isla said.

A flood watch is in effect until tonight, and a surf advisory will

last through Wednesday. Showers and a chance of thunderstorms will

stick around at least that long, Isla said.

But by Friday, he said, the area could see some dryer weather.

* MARISA O’NEIL covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (714) 966-4618 or by e-mail at marisa.oneil @latimes.com.