California is being battered by a major storm Christmas week, with heavy rain, floods and landslides causing headaches for travelers and locals.
Experts have warned that areas in Southern California could receive two to three times more rain than average during the festive period, transforming small streams into deadly rivers.
Brandon Buckinghmam, a senior meteorologist at AccuWeather, warned that Los Angeles, in particular, could receive 8 inches of rain this week despite normally receiving 2.48 inches.
“The fast-moving runoff can pick up rocks, mud, ash and debris, quickly turning into a debris flow that can race downhill with little warning, taking out homes, vehicles and roads along the way,” Buckingham said.
AccuWeather warned that wind speeds could reach 80mph in central California and even 130mph in the mountains before the extreme weather finally subsides towards the end of the week.
According to the National Weather Service, many of the communities set to be hit hardest by the storm are those that were affected by January’s wildfires, which swept across Los Angeles and San Diego.
Sierra Madre residents Missy and Jay Chapman told the Los Angeles Times that they spent much of December 23 preparing for the oncoming storm, which started on Christmas Eve.
“We’re always a little worried, but what are you gonna do?” Missy told the publication, adding that her husband had been working all day to clear any areas where water could pool and flood the house.
Trini Johnson, who lives in Torrance, also told the Times that she was concerned about driving in the storm if conditions continue to worsen. Johnson said that the last storm to hit Southern California caused water to splash onto her windshield while she was hurtling along the freeway in the fast lane. She said the experience was terrifying.
“I didn’t know whether to press on the brakes or not,” she said. “It scared the hell out of me.”
As the chaos continues, concerned Californians have been left stranded with flooding forcing major roads in the Inland Empire to close, according to ABC 7.
The broadcaster reported Thursday that two-hour delays are expected to stretch, as road crews clear mud and debris from closed freeways.
Weather models seen by the San Francisco Chronicle have suggested that this current wave of storms could move in a supercell pattern, making them much more likely to produce extreme weather events, including tornadoes.
One tornado warning for Los Angeles has already been issued by the weather service, although the alert was later cancelled on Christmas Eve by the federal agency, according to the SF Chronicle.
National Weather Service meteorologist Rose Schoenfeld told the Times that the storm is caused by a “pineapple express,” which is a powerful jet of warm, moist air from near Hawaii. This particular weather event will be the strongest atmospheric river to hit Southern California in two years.
Ahead of the storm, Governor Gavin Newsom placed much of Southern California under a state of emergency, allowing first responders to operate across six counties. Emergency resources were also funnelled to areas expected to be affected by the so-called “pineapple express,” which arrived yesterday.
"California is acting early and decisively to do all we can to get ahead of dangerous winter storms,” Newsom said in a statement. “The state has pre-positioned resources, activated emergency authorities, and we are working closely with local partners to protect communities and keep Californians safe."
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