But what happens when there’s an influx of Christmas spirit coupled with an onslaught of atmospheric rivers? For Californians in neighboring states, there’s not a respite in sight, just rain, dangerous wind, among many hazards accompanying flash flooding and snow in mountains. Californians are finding themselves amidst a Christmas season that’s been this wet in years.
Emergency proclations, evacuation orders, historic flooding rainfall records weekend festivities turn into a countdown against the fury of nature. The storm pattern is foreseen to evolve throughout the day on Friday. Below is the list of the most critical events in the making as of the moment.
1. Record-Breaking Rainfall and High-Risk Alerts
Unprecedented amounts of rainfall are being recorded on a daily basis in the region of Southern California. The rainfall was 1.88 inches at the Los Angeles International Airport and 3.39 inches at Burbank Airport. These amounts are set to continue increasing, even in mountainous areas like Ortega Hill, which already reached 11.97 inches. The National Weather Service has indicated High Risk owing to excessive rainfall. It should be noted that this level is only used on 4% of events. Reasoning Historically, this level is responsible for 1/3 of flood-related mortalities and 80% of dollar loss.
2. Burn Scar Areas at Risk of Debris Flow
extremely intensified flooding could soon hit lands scorched in the Eaton Fire, Hurst Fire, and Palisades Fire. Hydrologists have warned that these lands are on the verge of a disaster. Landslides, occurring when rainfall hits bare slopes, could setuge-shaped rocks racing downstream, rocks as big as a car. If you find yourself caught up in a debris flow, it is very hard to escape from it, stated USGS Hydrologist Jason Kean. In an effort to alert residents to relocate to safer areas, notice of likely landslides prompted instantaneous evacuations of at-risk communities.
3. Mass Evacuations & Shelter
This is true for Wrightwood and Lytle Creek in the San Gabriel mountains. Both were under mandatory evacuation orders due to mud and debris making passable pathways on the roads. Highway 2 was shut down by mud on the roads of Wrightwood, while residents of Lytle Creek were cut off because of the flooding of the only bridge spanning floodwaters. Facilities like shelters, community centers, and even local coffee shops operating because of generators have now become life-savers. Checkpoints on doors exist for evacuation before major storms.
4. Deadly Storm’s Effects Have Been
There have been several reported deaths due to the storms, a deputy of the sheriff’s department of Sacramento County killed in an automobile accident resulting from inclement weather, a man in the San Diego area struck by a fallen tree, and a Los Angeles County woman who was swept through the area of San Jose Creek for nine miles before being rescued. Such storms are developed to conceptually understand what may result in a flood-prone region where the soil is saturated, strong winds, and fast-moving floodwaters.
5. Power Outages Affecting Hundreds of Thousands
Coastal areas experienced wind speeds of 40 to 50 mph, as well as 80 mph in the mountain passes, thus bringing down tree limbs and power lines. At a particular time, more than 158,000 homes and business units were without electricity. Power failures started from the region of Monterey County down to San Diego. However, the city of Los Angeles is also dealing with 487 tree emergencies as well as traffic signal disruptions.
6. Treacherous Mountain Climbing and Avalanche Danger
The Sierra Nevada chain has been filled with several feet of snow, with Northstar getting 38 inches in 48 hours. The Donner Pass area of Interstate 80 has been closed because of numerous spinouts, with warnings of near white-out conditions. The Tahoe area and Eastern Sierra have been placed under avalanche watches because of the heavy loads of snow and strong winds. Land Travel Becoming Hazardous
7. Urban Flooding and Road Closures
Major roads such as the I-5 freeway in the Burbank area and the Grapevine areas have been shut down due to floods and crashes. Floods in the Sun Valley region had reached the auto doors of the 5 freeway, and rockslides have closed the 14 freeway. The Fire Department received several calls for rescues at the rivers and the CHP is still reminding drivers that if you don’t have to go out, please stay home until the weather improves.
8. Tornado and Severe Thunderstorm Risks
However, neither weather forecasters have ruled out land-hugging tornadoes for California. In fact, there is already a rare tornado warning for eastern parts of Los Angeles County. Additionally, there are threats of cloud-to-ground lightning, hail, as well as heavy rain downdrafts from thunderstorms. Citizens should remain aware of any warning for severe weather.
9. Travel Mayhem During Holidays Around the State
The storms are entering into one of the busiest periods of the year for travelers. There are traffic jams on the major thoroughfares. The Interstate 5 Grapevine is having delays due to pileups and the weather. Airports like the Santa Barbara airport are being forced to shut down for the time being due to flood situations. The alternative roads of Highway 99 and Highway 101 are also having traffic jams. Travelers are not expected to get a reprieve in the traffic situation owing to rain expected all over the weekend.
The holiday weekend in California has instead become a battle against nature, where each storm appears to be testing the resolve of the regions lining the coastal and mountains in order to resist the impact of each storm. The regions are saturated with water in the ground, the water in the rivers is full to capacity, and more rain is expected. Sometimes it becomes necessary to differentiate between safety and danger by staying informed and not taking roads that are not necessary. In addition to that, it becomes necessary to evacuate an area when told to do so.
