Officials in Los Angeles and surrounding counties warned that the “extremely dangerous” holiday storm could cause “widespread flash flooding.”
‘Life-threatening’ floods force family to turn back
A family on their way to a Christmas event was forced to turn back due to “life-threatening” flash flooding that wreaked havoc in California.
An atmospheric river storm began dumping heavy rain across Southern California on Christmas Eve, knocking out power to tens of thousands of homes and flooding communities large and small, prompting evacuation orders.
The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings for Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Ventura and other nearby counties as a powerful storm moved through the region, dumping several inches of rain. By late morning, major highways including Interstate 5 and Route 2 were reporting closures due to flooding and debris flows.
Mandatory evacuations were issued for entire canyon communities in Orange and San Bernardino counties.
In Los Angeles County, officials issued evacuation warnings and evacuation orders for areas ravaged by wildfires earlier this year, including the Pacific Palisades and Altadena, as the risk of debris flows increased.
The National Weather Service office in Los Angeles warned that “flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin soon.” “Debris flows and landslides are expected.”
The Bureau of Meteorology said the storm was “extremely dangerous” and urged holidaymakers to “exercise extreme caution”.
The storm prompted California Governor Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency in five counties, including Los Angeles and San Diego. Newsom said he mobilized state resources ahead of the storm and pre-positioned rescue workers and equipment across Southern California.
“The volume of calls is overwhelmingly high.”
In addition to heavy rain that could reach 10 inches or more in mountainous areas, officials warned of strong winds that could knock down power lines and uproot trees.
“Very strong winds blowing over soil loosened by heavy rain could increase tree damage, damage to nearby communities, and increase the number of power outages,” said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Chad Merrill.
Their impact was already being felt. More than 108,000 homes and businesses across California reported power outages on Dec. 24, according to USA TODAY’s power outage tracker.
In Ventura County, dispatchers are already responding to hundreds of calls related to downed power lines, fallen trees and traffic accidents. Rapid water rescue teams and helicopter crews responded to reports of residents stranded due to rising waters.
“We brought in additional emergency dispatchers to keep up with the volume of calls, but the number of calls was still overwhelming,” Ventura County Fire Department spokesman Andrew Dowd said.
Experts warn wind could cause further power outages
The National Weather Service said hurricane-force winds of up to 80 miles per hour were possible in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. Wind gusts of 35 to 55 mph are expected in other areas.
The heavy rain, expected to be the worst storm of the season, is expected to continue into Christmas Day before easing over the weekend.
But Merrill urged Southern California residents to remain cautious even after the storm passes. He said the region will be hit by Santa Ana winds over the weekend, which could cause additional power outages and potentially extended road closures.
“Even if the rain stops later this week, if you need to travel from place to place, please be aware that flooding and landslides are still possible,” Merrill said.
The storm came on the heels of torrential rains that caused flooding and at least one death in Northern California.
Contributor: Cheri Carlson, Ventura County Star
