National Weather Service Warns of Multi-Day Storm, Debris Flows, and Travel Hazards
Los Angeles County is preparing for a powerful atmospheric river expected to bring several days of heavy rain, gusty winds, and the risk of dangerous flooding across the region during the Christmas holiday, according to the National Weather Service and local emergency officials.
Forecasters have said rain is likely to begin Tuesday and continue through at least Saturday, with the most intense period expected from Tuesday night into Wednesday. A Flood Watch is in effect from Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday evening for Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange, and Santa Barbara counties, where officials warned that debris flows and widespread urban flooding are possible.
Evacuation warnings have been issued in the burn scar areas in Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Tuna Canyon Park, Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Park, to Will Rogers State Beach, and portions of Brentwood, including Mandeville Canyon. LAPD officers will visit any homes that are considered high risk and issue evacuation orders.
The National Weather Service said Los Angeles could receive between 3 and 6 inches of rain during the storm, with totals of 6 to 12 inches possible in the mountains and foothills. Thunderstorms are also possible in addition to flooding in the burn scar areas. The flash flood danger is currently rated at Level 3 out of a scale of 5.
A High Wind Watch is also in effect. Winds in the mountain areas could range up to 80 miles per hour, with lower elevations potentially seeing wind speeds between 40 miles per hour and 50 miles per hour.
City and county officials urged residents to prepare in advance. Authorities warned that hazardous conditions may include flooding on roads and freeways, rapidly rising streams and rivers, falling trees, debris flows, and power outages.
Residents were advised to secure outdoor furniture, holiday decorations, and other lightweight items that could be blown by strong winds. Emergency officials also encouraged households to assemble supplies that would allow them to shelter in place, including food, water, medications, flashlights, batteries, radios, and pet supplies.
The City of Santa Monica advises residents to check their Extreme Weather Page for more details.
Sandbags are available at fire stations and county distribution sites, though residents are advised to check availability in advance here and be prepared to show proof of residency.
If you are a Southern California Edison customer and need to report a power outage, visit sce.com/outage-center/report-an-outage or call 800-611-1911. To check the status of current outages, visit sce.com/outage-center/check-outage-status. Department of Water & Power customers can report power outages at: shorturl.at/WTqHV or call 800-342-5397. To check the status of current outages, visit: ladwp.com/outages/power-outage-map.
During the storm, officials stressed that drivers should avoid travel whenever possible and never attempt to drive through flooded roadways. Emergency services urged residents to bring pets indoors, assume downed power lines are dangerous, and report outages to their utility providers.
Governor Gavin Newsom said, via an emailed statement, “The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) is moving to around-the-clock operations and working closely with local governments to pre-deploy resources to respond effectively to new incidents, minimizing the potential impact of mud and debris flows, including potential flash flooding, especially in areas that have burned in recent wildfires.
The pre-deployed resources to Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Lake, Los Angeles, Marin, Mendocino, Nevada, Orange, Plumas, Sonoma, and Ventura counties include 45 fire engines, 10 swiftwater rescue teams, six hand crews, five dozers, four loaders, three helicopters, one incident management team, one Urban Search and Rescue Team, and over 225 personnel so far.
The California National Guard has air and ground assets available statewide for potential response, including aviation assets and high-water vehicles. Find the most up-to-date information on county pre-positions and available shelters here.
Life-threatening emergencies should be reported by calling 911. Non-emergency storm-related issues, such as flooding, fallen trees, or streetlight outages within the city of Los Angeles, can be reported through the city’s 311 system, which will operate with extended hours during the storm. Unincorporated areas are advised to contact Los Angeles County Public Works’ 24-hour dispatch line at 1-800-675-HELP (4357).
Residents are encouraged to sign up for local emergency alerts, including NotifyLA and Alert LA County, and to monitor official updates throughout the week. The National Weather Service will continue issuing updated forecasts and warnings as the storm system moves through the region.
