The latest in a series of robust storms is drenching California again with rain and snow, prompting officials to warn residents to stay on high alert for floods as weakened terrain gets further tested.
Some hillside communities — including affluent areas such as Montecito, Malibu and the Hollywood Hills — have seen as much as 8.5 inches (21.6 centimeters) of rain in the last three days, leaving the ground so saturated that hilly areas are in danger of flooding and rock slides.
“We’ve had so much rain this winter that the soils really can’t hold that much more water at this point,” said Joe Sirard, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Weather Forecast Office of LA and Oxnard. “If you don’t have to travel, stay home.”
More rain is expected through Wednesday, with flood watches in effect across the state, including in the Los Padres National Forest and in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties. High surf advisories are in place along the Malibu and LA coast through Tuesday evening.
A cold front is expected Tuesday night and could bring scattered showers and thunderstorms to Southern California, the storm’s last hurrah before it is set to dissipate. There also is a “non-zero but remote risk for severe thunderstorm with strong winds or brief tornado/waterspout,” the National Weather Service’s LA office posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. The weather service is watching another potential storm starting this weekend.
Photograph: A road closure sign on a flooded road during a storm in Fontana, California. Photo credit: Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg
Topics California Flood
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