Downpours fall for hours on thirsty California

           Hours of downpours brought California a dose of relief from a three-year drought with few of the negative consequences the long-awaited storm had threatened, at least so far.

The heaviest torrents fell on Southern California, where the National Weather Service said up to 6 inches of rain was possible in some areas by the time the storm ends Wednesday.

Downtown Los Angeles had received 1.15 inches of rain, breaking a 1961 record for the day, according to the weather service. More than 2 inches fell on Santa Barbara. Totals of around an inch also set daily records in Oxnard and at airports in Los Angeles, Camarillo, Long Beach, Lancaster and Palmdale.

In Northern California, nearly 1 ½ inches fell on San Francisco, where historic cable cars and their 100-year-old braking systems had to be shut down. Stockton and San Jose also saw more than an inch.

Traffic was snarled and flights were delayed in cities around the state.

The rains had brought worries of mudslides and flooding in wildfire-scarred communities that did not immediately materialize, but the saturation from Tuesday's rains and the next round of showers through Wednesday could change that quickly.

In Camarillo Springs, about 50 miles northwest of Los Angeles, gushing water and muddy debris began pouring from adjacent hillsides Tuesday, prompting the mandatory evacuation of about 75 homes for much of the day. The order was lifted around 6 p.m., but authorities urged people to stay away voluntarily.