LOS ANGELES (AP) — An unusually strong storm system known as an atmospheric river has been battering Southern California, resulting in flood warnings for coastal areas of Los Angeles County that were recently ravaged by wildfire.
The National Weather Service for Los Angeles and Oxnard reported substantial rainfall reaching rates of up to an inch (2.5 centimeters) per hour in flash flood-prone coastal areas.
Friday saw over four inches of rain in coastal Santa Barbara County as the storm neared Los Angeles, prompting officials to urge residents to stay indoors due to heavy winds.
A long plume of tropical moisture originating from the Pacific Ocean began affecting the San Francisco Bay Area on Wednesday before unleashing widespread rain across Southern California from Friday onward. Forecasters indicate that parts of the Sierra Nevada may receive over a foot of snow due to this storm.
Flood warnings are active from Ventura County through Malibu and into the City of Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass tweeted on Saturday morning regarding the situation, stating, Due to the potential for debris flows, an Evacuation Warning remains in effect within and around all recent burn scar areas, and select vulnerable properties remain under Evacuation Orders.
Mandatory evacuation orders have already been enforced for certain high-risk properties in the Palisades and Eaton fire burn regions, effective from Friday evening to Sunday morning, with law enforcement set to assist residents in leaving these areas to ensure their safety.
