As Heavy Rains Roll In, Southern California Drivers Urged To Reconsider Christmas Travel
California officials and weather forecasters have urged holiday travelers to stay off the roads and reconsider Christmas travel as a series of powerful winter storms bring persistent rains, high winds and snow in the mountains.
The storms began moving in late Tuesday evening and were expected to intensify on Christmas Eve. The National Weather Service said officials said millions of people expected to travel across the state would likely encounter dangerous, if not impossible, conditions because numerous atmospheric rivers were predicted to pass through the state.
“If you’re planning on being on the road for the Christmas holiday, please reconsider your plans,” Los Angeles National Weather Service meteorologist Ariel Cohen said at a news conference Tuesday.
Southern California could see its wettest Christmas in years, forecasters said, warning of flash floods, mudslides and debris flows in areas scorched by last January’s wildfires. Los Angeles County officials said they knocked on the doors of about 380 particularly vulnerable households to order them to leave.
Much of the Sacramento Valley and San Francisco Bay Area were under a flood watch and high wind warning through Friday. Forecasters warned that heavy snow and storms were expected to create “near white-out conditions” in parts of the Sierra Nevada on Wednesday and make traveling through mountain passes “nearly impossible.”
There is also a risk of severe storms and a small chance of a hurricane off the north coast.
Heavy rain and flash flooding forced water rescue crews and at least one death in Northern California, local officials said. Shasta County Sheriff Michael L. Johnson declared a state of emergency Monday to prepare for more rain and allow the state to assist with hazard mitigation and search and rescue operations.
National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Wofford said Southern California typically gets between a half-inch and 1 inch of rain this time of year, but many areas could see 4 to 8 inches of rain this week. In the mountains it may be even more. Winds could reach speeds of 60 to 80 mph in parts of the central coast.
Authorities expect many road closures and airport delays during the storms. Downed trees and power lines are also possible. Parts of Los Angeles are under evacuation warnings this week.
The county put K-rails, a type of barrier, around the burn scar to help catch sliding debris during rainstorms. Los Angeles County supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents Altadena, said residents can get free sandbags to protect their homes.
Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell said many people in burn-scarred areas decided not to leave after receiving evacuation notices. He urged them to rethink.
“The threat posed by this storm is real and immediate,” he said.
Local and state officials are preparing to respond to emergencies throughout the week. The state deployed resources and first responders along the coast and in some counties in Southern California. The California National Guard also stands ready to assist.
An atmospheric river is a long, narrow band of water vapor that forms over the ocean and flows across the sky, carrying moisture from the tropics to northern latitudes.
