Key Takeaways
- Southern California experienced its wettest Christmas holiday in recent history, with record-breaking rainfall and an atmospheric river bringing winds and rain to the region.
- The storm caused widespread damage, including downed trees, hundreds of car crashes, and power outages, as well as mudslides and flash flooding.
- A tornado touched down in Boyle Heights on Christmas Day, causing damage to homes and businesses.
- Emergency declarations were made in several counties, including Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Bernardino, with firefighters rescuing over 100 people from stranded cars.
- The region is still at risk of flash flooding and mudslides, with more rain expected around New Year’s Eve.
Introduction to the Storm
Southern Californians are facing a massive clean-up operation after the region’s wettest Christmas holiday in recent history turned areas of the state into a panorama of mud and debris. Just a year ago, record wildfires scorched the dry neighborhoods of Altadena and Pacific Palisades, but now, in what scientists call "hydroclimate whiplash", the picture is reversed after an atmospheric river off the Pacific brought the elemental opposites of winds and rain. The stormy weather was a stark contrast to the usual dry and sunny conditions that Southern California is known for, and it caught many residents off guard.
Record-Breaking Rainfall
The storm brought record-breaking rainfall to the region, with Southern California recording its wettest Christmas Eve and Christmas Day ever. Santa Barbara airport received 5.91 inches of rain, while over 17 inches of rain fell in one single area of the Ventura county mountains. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were the rainiest for many parts of southern California, with over 10 inches of rain falling in parts of the San Gabriel Mountains in Los Angeles county. The heavy rainfall caused widespread damage, including downed trees, hundreds of car crashes, and power outages, as well as mudslides and flash flooding.
Tornado Touches Down
The weather system spawned a tornado on Christmas Day, which damaged a home and a commercial strip mall in Boyle Heights. The tornado, which was classified as an EF-0 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, had a wind speed of up to 80mph and traveled for one-third of a mile. The destruction it caused included damage to the roof of a home, breaking windows and tree branches, bending a utility pole, and destroying commercial signage in a shopping plaza. The tornado was a rare event for the region, and it added to the already significant damage caused by the storm.
Emergency Response
The storm prompted emergency declarations in several counties, including Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Shasta counties. Los Angeles’ mayor, Karen Bass, declared a temporary state of emergency, citing the tornado and "consecutive days of wet weather". Firefighters in Los Angeles county rescued over 100 people on Thursday alone, with one helicopter pulling 21 people from stranded cars. California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, also declared emergencies in the affected counties, mobilizing resources to support the response and recovery efforts.
Aftermath and Recovery
With the heaviest rains now past, there is still a risk of flash flooding and mudslides, the National Weather Service warned. "Still not quite out of the woods, but for the most part, the worst is over," said Mike Wofford, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Los Angeles. Forecasters anticipate a dry weekend before more rain around New Year’s Eve. Residents are advised to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to ensure their safety. Sherry Tocco, a resident of Wrightwood, described how her mountain town was pummeled by rain that turned the roads into rivers and buried cars under rocks, debris, and mud. Firefighters helped her evacuate, and she had to sleep in her car.
Snowfall in Higher Elevations
While the lowlands experienced heavy rainfall, the higher elevations received significant snowfall. As much as 2 inches of snowfall per hour fell in the Sierra Nevada mountains, adding to the already treacherous conditions. The snowfall is expected to continue, with more rain and snow expected around New Year’s Eve. The weather conditions are a reminder of the unpredictable nature of California’s climate, and the need for residents to be prepared for extreme weather events. The region is still reeling from the effects of the storm, and it will likely take several days or even weeks for the full extent of the damage to be assessed and for the clean-up efforts to be completed.
