The Latest: Southern California beach closures lifted

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on Southern California thunderstorms (all times local):

7:40 p.m.

Authorities have reopened Southern California beaches that were closed by lightning strikes as thunderstorms moved across the region.

All beach areas in Santa Monica and Malibu were evacuated and closed for an hour or more Wednesday afternoon because of an electrical storm.

In 2014, a rare lightning strike at Venice Beach killed a college student and injured a dozen other people.

Wednesday’s surprise storm cell moved rapidly out of the inland region and through Los Angeles, hurling lightning bolts and dropping rain. However, most Los Angeles County areas recorded only a fraction of an inch of rain.

Los Angeles fire officials also suspect that lightning set two small brush fires that were quickly doused.

The National Weather Service says monsoon moisture will bring a continued threat of thunderstorms to Southern California through Friday, with possible brief but heavy downpours and strong winds.

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12:10 p.m.

Thunderstorms moving across Los Angeles County have triggered an evacuation warning for Santa Monica Beach.

The city of Santa Monica posted on twitter that lightning was reported in the area late Wednesday morning and people should evacuate all beach and ocean areas. Anyone on the famed Santa Monica Pier is urged to seek cover indoors.

In 2014, a rare lightning strike on nearby Venice Beach killed a college student and injured a dozen other people.

Wednesday’s surprise cell moved rapidly out of the inland region and through Los Angeles, hurling lightning bolts and dropping rain.

Thunderstorms hit the deserts to the east before dawn but were expected to diminish as they moved west. The National Weather Service calls an “impressive monsoon moisture surge.”

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6:50 a.m.

Monsoonal flow has brought thunderstorms and strong winds to the deserts of Southern California.

An urban and small stream flood was advisory for San Bernardino and Riverside counties early Wednesday morning and was canceled around 4:30 a.m. when the threat of flooding ended.

The National Weather Service says a chance of afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms will continue into Thursday, mostly for the mountains, deserts and inland valleys.

Weather Friday and Saturday is expected to be a little drier, followed by warming as high pressure expands into Southern California.