Southland residents were bracing today for a storm that is expected to dump several inches of rain on the area, raising fears of mudslides in recent burn areas.
A roughly six-mile stretch of Pacific Coast Highway in Ventura County near the Los Angeles County line was closed Sunday when showers send rocks and mud cascading onto the roadway. Caltrans officials said that stretch of road from Las Posas Road to Yerba Buena — a key route for people heading in or out of Malibu — could remain closed for several more days.
Meanwhile, city officials in Glendora met this morning to prepare for heavier rain that is expected beginning Tuesday. Police began warning residents near the Colby Fire burn area on Sunday to prepare for possible mudslides and debris flows.
City officials raised the alert status to “yellow” for residents near the burn area. The alert imposes restrictions requiring residents to remove vehicles, trash bins and other obstructions from the street to ensure emergency crews can access the area — and to prevent any damage from mudflows.
National Weather Service forecasters said the storm is still on track to hit the Southland on Tuesday, and flash flood watches will likely be issued for burn areas.
Forecasters said the storm should drop about 1 to 2 inches of rain along the coast and in valley areas, and 2 to 5 inches in the mountains and foothills.
Showers are expected to continue into Tuesday night, and possibly into Wednesday, according to the NWS. The area is expected to slowly dry out as the week wears on.
Sunday’s rain caused some flooding and a street closure in Montebello. Greenwood Avenue was closed in both directions between Sycamore Avenue and Union Street because of “major flooding” under the railroad overpass, according to the Montebello Police Department.
The California Highway Patrol reported about 83 crashes between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. Sunday on freeways and roads it patrols in Los Angeles County. That compares to about 48 crashes during the same hours last Sunday, said CHP Officer Patrick Kimball.
More than a half-inch of rain fell in West Los Angeles between 3:45 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. Sunday and heavy showers extended from Lakewood to the San Gabriel Valley, according to the NWS.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health warned beach goers to avoid storm discharge areas due to debris and bacteria.
