Strong, gusty Christmas week storm drenches Southern California with more rain on the way
A strong Christmas Eve storm marked by dangerously strong wind gusts drenched Southern California on Wednesday, leading to street flooding, evacuation warnings and the looming possibilities of mudslides and dangerous debris flows in areas scarred by recent wildfires. Traffic at the start of a busy holiday travel period was treacherous at best across the region, with more wet weather in the forecast.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department also issued an evacuation warning for the community of Wrightwood due to potential mud and debris flows from the storm, and were working to rescue some residents. Debris and mud were seen rushing down the road leading into Wrightwood in a social media video posted by county fire officials.
The storm landed first over Los Angeles County early Wednesday and was expected to push more strongly into Orange County and the Inland Empire as the day progressds, according to meteorologists with the National Weather Service.
LA County is under a flood advisory until Wednesday, Dec. 24 at 4 p.m., a flash flood warning until Wednesday, Dec. 24 at 6 p.m., a wind advisory until Thursday, Dec. 25 at 3 p.m., and a flood watch until Friday, Dec. 26 at 4 p.m.
Rainfall totals were matching weather forecasters’ expectations so far. Here’s how much rain the south land had received a day into the storm, according to the NWS:
LA County
- San Gabriel mountains: 5-7 inches
- The San Gabriel Valley: 1.5-2 inches
- San Fernando Valley: 3-4 inches
- Santa Monica mountains: 2-4 inches
- La Cañada foothills: 2-3 inches
Orange County:
- Dana Point: .10 of an inch
- Huntington Beach: .5 of an inch
- Laguna Beach: .14 of an inch
- Santa Ana mountains: .25 of an inch
Inland Empire:
- Riverside: .10-.20 of an inch
- Chino: .16 of an inch
- Big Bear Lake: .31 of an inch
- Cajon Pass: .69 of an inch
- San Bernardino: .25-.5 an inch
- San Bernardino mountains: .25-.5 an inch
In Orange County, a downed tree in Laguna Beach led to the closure of Coast Highway between Legion Street and Cleo Street for at least an hour, according to a Laguna Beach Police Department social media post.
At one point on Wednesday, Highway 138 was closed between the 15 Freeway in the Cajon Pass and Beekley Road to the west, Caltrans said. Northbound traffic on the 15 was being required to exit at the 138 and re-enter the freeway because of mud on the 15 at the 138 overpass.
Heavy rain was expected to affect the Yucaipa-Oak Glen area, said Chloe Castillo, a spokeswoman for the Cal Fire San Bernardino Unit. The creek that runs past the Oak Glen Steakhouse tends to overflow during heavy rain.
Shane Reichardt, a spokesman for the Riverside County Emergency Management Department, said officials were watching the Airport Fire burn scar off Ortega Highway.
He said the expected rainfall rate of seven-tenths of an inch per hour had not reached the threshold of eight-tenths that would trigger warnings to be sent out. That area has held up well during heavy rain, Reichardt said. Officials did send out alertssssss to wireless phones in the areas where people live in rivers, urging them to move to higher ground.
Conditions could worsen as multiple atmospheric rivers move across California on one of the busiest travel weeks of the year.
Reporter Brian Rokos and The Associated Press contributed to this story.