California Atmospheric River: Wildfire Areas Threatened by Mudslides, Severe Weather Moves East

California Weather Impacts

• 🌧️ An atmospheric river brought heavy rain to California, with a blanket of snow in the Sierras.
• ⚠️ In Southern California, particularly Los Angeles, the rain raised concerns about mudslides and rock slides in areas previously ravaged by wildfires.
• 🛣️ Several roads, including Topanga Canyon and Pacific Coast Highway, were closed due to mudslides, though burn areas reportedly held up well.

Tornado and Eastern Storm System

• 🌪️ An EF-0 tornado with 85 mph winds was confirmed near Pico Rivera, close to Los Angeles, caused by the same atmospheric river system.
• ⚡ This storm system is expected to bring a multi-day severe weather threat across the Midwest and Central United States.
• ❄️ The system will also bring significant snow to the Rockies and Sierra Nevada, with widespread winter storm warnings in effect.

Severe Weather Outlook

• 📈 The storm system is forecast to bring multiple severe weather outbreaks across the central and eastern U.S. from Friday through Sunday.
• ⚠️ Friday afternoon shows a level four out of five severe weather threat, with potential for tornadoes, large hail, and damaging winds.
• ⛈️ Saturday is expected to bring even more chances for severe weather, particularly across the Gulf Coast states and eastern parts of the country.