Rain causes huge L.A. traffic problems; wet weather through Friday

The rainstorm that snarled traffic for Thursday morning commuters is expected to stick around the Los Angeles area until Friday.

The National Weather Service said a cold front moving across the region will bring high winds, more rain and even snow at higher elevations.

The storm had already dumped as much as three-quarters of an inch of rain in parts of Los Angeles as of Thursday morning, according to Stuart Seto, a meteorologist for the weather service. Possible thunderstorms in the afternoon could bring more rain, he added.

In mountain areas, a high wind advisory is in effect, with 4 to 8 inches of snow expected overnight for elevations above 6,500 feet.

Skies are expected to turn partly cloudy by Friday night, with conditions becoming increasingly clear and sunny through the weekend.

The wet conditions on Thursday caused havoc on freeways across L.A. County. Three crashes involving big rigs clogged the 5 and 210 freeways, creating stop-and-go traffic for miles as crews worked to clear the wreckage.

Three Sigalerts remained in effect for the morning commute, two of them on the 210 Freeway in Pasadena that backed up traffic for miles.

One was issued after three big rigs crashed at the 210-134 Freeway transition around midnight, killing one person and injuring two others.

Another Sigalaert was issued after a solo big rig crash on the eastbound 210 at Sierra Madre Boulevard, which also disrupted Metro rail service on the nearby Gold Line.

Traffic was also clogged on the 5 Freeway near the 134 Freeway after a big rig hit the center divider and jackknifed.

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