Ferocious Storm Hits Southern California LOS ANGELES — A freak storm pummeled parts of Southern California with up to 5 inches of rain and hail, forcing motorists to abandon swamped cars at the height of rush hour and leaving thousands of residents without power. Lightning lit up the region as fast-flowing water turned some streets to rivers Wednesday night. Water swept trash and other debris to the doorsteps of homes and stores. In areas where the hail was deep, adults snapped photos and children frolicked Thursday in a landscape that looked more like Minneapolis than Los Angeles. "It was just...