Heat wave breaks in Southern California with spotty rain

By JULIE WATSON and JOHN ANTCZAK
Associated Press

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Southern Californians have welcomed cooler temperatures and spotty rain from a tropical storm veering off the Pacific Coast days after a relentless heat wave nearly overwhelmed the state’s electrical grid. Officials braced for flooding in coastal and mountain areas and feared powerful winds could expand the massive Fairview Fire burning about 75 miles southeast of Los Angeles. Minimal flooding was reported early Saturday and crews made significant progress on that fire, but the Mosquito Fire in the foothills east of Sacramento continued to grow. The National Weather Service forecast an end to the grueling heat wave in the Los Angeles area Saturday while warning flooding was possible in some mountain and coastal areas.