Los Angeles: Torrential rainfall swept across Southern California on Wednesday, causing widespread flash flooding and mudslides, as authorities warned residents to stay off roads and evacuate flood-prone areas.
In Wrightwood, a rain-soaked mountain town east of Los Angeles, emergency crews spent the day responding to dozens of rescue calls, pulling drivers from submerged vehicles, according to San Bernardino County Fire Department spokesperson Christopher Prater. No casualties were reported by Wednesday night. Aerial footage showed mud flowing through flooded cabin neighborhoods.
Some areas recorded downpours of an inch (2.54 cm) or more per hour, fueled by a massive atmospheric river that pulled moisture from the Pacific Ocean into the Los Angeles region. The storm, arriving on Christmas Eve, is expected to persist through Friday, creating hazardous driving conditions during the holiday travel period, the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) said.
“Life-threatening” conditions are expected through Christmas Day, with flash flooding underway across Southern California. A flash-flood warning was in effect for much of Los Angeles County until 6 p.m. PST, urging motorists to avoid travel unless evacuating or fleeing flood zones.
Los Angeles city officials stressed evacuation orders for about 130 homes in mudslide-prone areas of Pacific Palisades, where last year’s wildfires had destabilized the terrain. In Wrightwood, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department upgraded an evacuation warning to a shelter-in-place order as flooding worsened. Portions of Angeles Crest Highway were closed due to high water.
Strong winds accompanied the heavy rain, toppling trees and power lines, while higher elevations in the Sierra Nevada were expected to see heavy snow. By 9 a.m. PST, some foothill areas had received 4–8 inches of rain, with forecasts calling for over a foot (30.48 cm) in lower mountain regions by week’s end. Rockslides were reported in the surrounding mountains, and forecasters issued a rare tornado warning for east-central Los Angeles County near Alhambra due to intense thunderstorms.
Rainfall had eased by Wednesday night, but forecasters warned a second wave of the storm system was expected on Thursday.
