Rain-soaked Southlanders enjoyed an overnight break from showers that could last into the afternoon Thursday before with another surge of precipitation drenches the region again, forecasters said.
“Even though we do get these lulls … across much of Southern California, the flooding will continue in many spots, and there will still be road closures due to mudslides from the rain earlier,” AccuWeather senior Meteorologist Chad Merrill told USA TODAY. “And then we get the surge back in late [Thursday] tomorrow and through Friday, that’ll trigger even more flooding across Southern California.”
A wind advisory will remain in effect until at least 3 p.m. Thursday.
The second wave of the storm is expected to arrive sometime on Christmas Day, bringing more showers and a chance of thunderstorms.
“Locally heavy rain is expected during the day and into early Friday morning, especially in the mountains, with rain rates up to a 0.50-0.75 inches per hour possible,” according to the National Weather Service. “Given the amount of water that fell [Wednesday] it won’t take much additional rain to generate significant impacts, including additional mud and rock slides through the canyons and dangerous flooding on area roads and highways.”
Forecasters said another 2 to 5 inches of rain are likely to fall in the mountains during the second wave, but other areas should receive less than 2 inches, unless isolated thunderstorms develop with heavy rains.
“Showers are expected to become more scattered Friday but most areas should get at least some additional rain through Friday and possible into early Saturday morning,” forecasters said.
The first wave of a “very dangerous” atmospheric river storm dumped sometimes-torrential rain on the Southland Wednesday, with double-digit precipitation falling in some mountain areas, freeway flooding and fears of debris flows in recent burn areas, where residents were under evacuation warnings or orders.
Fire crews and law enforcement were keeping close watch on the Palisades and Eaton fire areas, in addition to other burn zones throughout the region, as the rain intensified overnight and through the day.
As of 3 p.m. Wednesday, more than 3 inches of rain had fallen in Bel Air, more than 5 inches in Pacoima, nearly 4.3 inches in Canoga Park and 2.6 inches in downtown Los Angeles, the NWS said. Nearly 12 inches were reported at the San Gabriel Dam and 11.3 inches at Crystal Lake. The rain was accompanied by powerful winds that reached 80 mph in some areas, forecasters said.
Major crashes were reported on multiple freeways. The northbound Golden State (5) Freeway had lanes blocked due to flooding in Sun Valley, where a vehicle wound up inundated in the water. Flooding was also reported on the westbound Ventura (101) Freeway in the Van Nuys area. There were also reports of large rocks falling onto the Antelope Valley (14) Freeway in Agua Dulce.
Thousands of residents also lost power Wednesday morning amid the storm. As of 11 a.m., about 10,700 Los Angeles Department of Water and Power customers were without power. Southern California Edison was also reporting a series of outages across the county, but it was unclear how many people were affected.
The mayor’s office reported at 11 a.m. that about 20 traffic signals around Los Angeles were out, 43 downed trees had been reported, and the Los Angeles Police Department had responded to more than 50 traffic crashes, while the fire department responded to at least two river-rescue calls.
Los Angeles city and county officials issued a series of evacuation warnings and orders in advance of the storm, which is also being described as a “Pineapple Express” event, picking up excessive moisture as it moves across the Pacific Ocean and makes landfall.
The city of Los Angeles issued evacuation warnings that took effect at 11 a.m. Tuesday and will remain in effect through 11 p.m. Thursday for residents of Pacific Palisades and Mandeville Canyon near the Palisades Fire, and south of Runyon Canyon near the Sunset Fire area.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said 126 homes within the city were under evacuation orders, and officers went door-to-door to alert those residents. He said an evacuation center will be available at the Stoner Recreation Center, 1835 Stoner Ave., in West Los Angeles.
Los Angeles County officials, meanwhile, issued evacuation warnings for residents near the Palisades, Eaton, Agua Dulce, Lidia, Franklin, Bridge, Canyon, Owen, Hurst and Kenneth fires. Those warnings will also begin at 11 a.m. Tuesday. Sheriff’s deputies were also going door-to-door to high-risk residences to notify them of evacuation orders.
Sheriff Robert Luna said that as of Tuesday morning, 124 homes in the sheriff’s unincorporated coverage area were under evacuation orders. County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella said roughly 260 other homes in various incorporated cities — including the city of Los Angeles — were also under evacuation orders and will be visited by local police departments.
Luna urged residents to heed the evacuation orders and warnings, saying those who fail to do are “putting your lives at risk.”
He also urged people who may have elderly or disabled relatives in the warning areas to “make sure you have communicated with them and … coordinated a plan to get them out.”
Residents can check the evacuation status of their neighborhoods at protect.genasys.com.
In Orange County, mandatory evacuation orders took effect at 8 a.m. Wednesday near the Airport Fire burn scar, affecting areas of:
— Trabuco Creek, including the RC Airport, fire station, campground/park and school;
— Bell Canyon, including Starr Ranch; and
— Hot Springs Canyon, including Lazy-W Ranch.
A reception center for displaced OC residents was opened at the Foothill Ranch Library Program Annex adjacent to the library at 27002 Cabriole Way. The OC Animal Care shelter at 1630 Victory Road in Tustin will be available to care for evacuated residents’ small pets. Large animal owners can contact OC Animal Care at 714-935-6848, or 714-259-1122 after hours, for sheltering options.
Road closures in the Orange County evacuation area will also be in place on Trabuco Canyon Road at Rose Canyon; Plano Trabuco near Robinson Ranch; Grey Rock at Bell Canyon; and Hot Springs Canyon at Ortega Highway.
In addition to the rain, the NWS predicted “strong and gusty southeast to south winds” through Christmas Day.
“Widespread gusts of 35-55 mph are highly likely across all areas,” forecasters said, adding that gusts of 60 to 80 mph are possible in L.A. County mountains and deserts continuing through 3 p.m. Thursday.
The city of Los Angeles’ Emergency Operations Center was activated Monday in anticipation of the storm and to help coordinate response efforts by the Emergency Management Department, police and fire departments and county Public Works officials.
“As city crews continue monitoring the storm and responding to its impacts, I am urging all Angelenos to stay safe and be extremely careful on the roads if you absolutely must travel,” Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement Wednesday. “Please do not take this storm lightly — follow official guidance, plan ahead, and sign up for emergency alerts at NotifyLA.org.”
Residents across the county can visit lacounty.gov/emergency to register for county emergency alerts, and to access links for additional local alert systems managed by other municipalities.
According to the mayor’s office, the Los Angeles Fire Department had stepped-up staffing in place to respond to swift-water rescues or mud and debris flows. Crews from the Department of Water and Power, Street Services and L.A. Sanitation are also on standby.