Courier staff report

A powerful storm that made its way into the region Sunday afternoon had dropped more than four inches of rain on Claremont as of 9:55 a.m. Monday. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning at 7:25 p.m. Sunday, which remained in place until midnight Sunday. Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency for eight Southern California counties Sunday, including Los Angeles County.

According to a remote automatic weather station which reports its data to the National Weather Service, as of 9:55 a.m. Claremont had seen 4.02 inches of rain over the previous 24 hours.

Claremont’s annual precipitation is now 10.55 inches. Also, the strong winds that were predicted have not materialized here with wind speeds averaging between 4 and 8 MPH and gusts up to 22 mph.

Claremont public schools remained open Monday. Nearby Cal Poly Pomona canceled its on-campus instruction due to the storm.

High winds at Mt. Baldy Sunday brought gusts up to 50 mph, forcing the closure of the Mt. Baldy Ski Lifts around 11 a.m. Meteorologists say we should expect near continuous showers through Tuesday, and what may be up to seven inches of rain. The Mt. Baldy lifts will remain closed until Wednesday morning, February 7, when officials will reassess conditions. Police are asking the public to limit travel and avoid mountain areas until at least Wednesday.

The Courier will continue to cover the storm throughout the week. Courier photo/Andrew Alonzo

A motorist passes through a flooded section of Mount Baldy Road Monday morning. A strong storm system that moved into Claremont Sunday evening had dropped almost four inches of rain by Monday morning. Courier photo/Steven Felschundneff

Students and parents made their way to Oakmont Outdoor School Monday morning despite the deluge. Courier photos/Andrew Alonzo

At an elevation of 7,800 feet, the Mt. Baldy Ski Lift Notch was hit with high winds from a slow moving storm hitting the area on Sunday, forcing the closure of the ski area. Officials are asking the public to limit travel and avoid mountain areas through Wednesday. Courier photo/Peter Weinberger