Tornado warnings strike Los Angeles as flash floods and hellish mudslides wreak havoc for Californians on Christmas Eve
The holiday season is predicted to be a bust for the Golden State this year, with meteorologists warning that up to eight inches of rain are expected to fall in many areas, including Los Angeles County and Santa Barbara, over the next four days.
California officials have warned holiday travelers to stay off the roads as a series of winter storms continues to cause flash floods and even hurricanes.
The storms began moving in late Tuesday evening and are expected to intensify through Christmas Eve, while the ‘cutter’ weather system will blanket much of the West Coast and Midwest with rain and snow on Christmas Day.
Los Angeles will be particularly hard hit, with a severe flood warning in place for the area until 12pm on Wednesday. Hundreds of residents living in at-risk neighborhoods have been warned to ‘immediately move to higher ground’ and evacuate their homes.
Millions of people expected to travel for vacation in California will likely encounter dangerous, if not impossible, conditions as several atmospheric rivers are predicted to pass through the state, officials said.
“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 is expected to be hit particularly hard by the upcoming winter storms, and a severe flood warning will be in effect for the area until 12 a.m. Wednesday. Hundreds of residents living in at-risk neighborhoods warned to ‘immediately move to higher ground’
The holiday season is predicted to be a bust for the Golden State this year, with meteorologists warning that up to 20 centimeters of rain is expected to fall in many areas, including Los Angeles County and Santa Barbara (Image: Menlo Park, CA, December 24)
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.
Heavy snow and storms will create ‘near white-out conditions’ in parts of the Sierra Nevada on Wednesday and make driving through mountain passes ‘almost impossible’, forecasters warned.
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.
Southern California typically gets half an inch to 1 inch (1.3 to 2.5 centimeters) of rain this time of year, but many areas could see 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters) of rain this week, National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Wofford said.
In the mountains it may be even more. Winds could reach speeds of 60 to 80 mph (96.5 to 127.8 km/h) on parts of the central coast.
Apocalyptic scenes rage across southern California on Christmas Eve, with a powerful storm turning roads into rivers and triggering torrential mudslides. (Image: View of a flooded street near Meta Campus during a downpour on December 24 in Menlo Park, California)
The storms began moving in late Tuesday evening and are expected to intensify through Christmas Eve, while the ‘cutter’ weather system will blanket much of the West Coast and Midwest with rain and snow on Christmas Day. (Image: Menlo Park, California, December 24)
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.
