A major atmospheric river storm hit Southern California with heavy rain, strong winds and major snow. Forecasters say this will become the worst Christmas
storm in recent years. Showers will spread across the region and will continue for several days. The National Weather Service calls this a long event with stacking impacts. Rain will add up. Flooding will grow worse with time. Meteorologist Ariel Cohen said the storm brings a high risk of life-threatening flooding, rockslides and mudslides. He warned that the threat is serious, according to Los Angeles Times report. The system will strengthen through Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It will arrive at the height of holiday travel. The storm will pull deep moisture from near Hawaii. Many forecasters call this pattern a Pineapple Express. The National Weather Service says storms like this strike only once every five to ten years. This one stands out because it will peak during Christmas.
Likely Impact Of Storm
Heavy rain has already flooded parts of Northern California. One person died in an earlier storm over the weekend.
In Southern California, federal forecasters issued a rare high risk alert for excessive rainfall. The alert covers parts of Los Angeles, Ventura, San Bernardino and Santa Barbara counties. High risk alerts happen on very few days each year. They cause most flood damage nationwide.
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Rainfall rates will rise above one inch per hour in some areas. Drains will fail. Streets will flood fast.
Burn scars make the danger worse. Fire zones shed water instead of soaking it. Debris flows form quickly. Officials issued evacuation warnings and orders near the Palisades and Eaton fire areas.
Urban flooding will spread. Rockslides and mudslides will hit mountain roads and canyon areas. Travel will turn dangerous.
Ariel Cohen said widespread and significant flooding will occur. He urged people to rethink holiday driving plans.
Christmas Day Forecast
Ski resorts in Southern California announced closures through Christmas. Operators said guest and staff safety comes first.
Local leaders are asking residents to stay off roads, watch alerts and get ready for power outages as winds and soaked ground bring trees down.
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Governor Gavin Newsom mobilized state crews and equipment ahead of the storm. Teams will stage resources across threatened areas.
The risk will not end on Christmas. Another system will follow later in the week. Flooding and travel problems will continue after the holiday.
