A powerful early-morning storm rattled Sonoma County today with thunder and lightning that forced school closures and snarled traffic.
The Press Democrat reports the storm hit around 5:00 a.m., with lightning causing a power outage that closed Helen Lehman Elementary in Santa Rosa. On the roads, wet conditions led to multiple crashes, including a collision on Santa Rosa Avenue that sheared a fire hydrant and sent one person to the hospital.
Forecasters say this is the second of three storms expected this week. A cold weather advisory remains in effect through Wednesday morning, with the next system arriving tomorrow night.