Christmas Storm: Southern California Braces for Heavy Rain and High Winds

Storm Impact on Southern California

• ⚠️ Heavy rainfall is battering Southern California, leading to treacherous driving conditions and widespread flooding on streets and highways.
• 🌧️ Flash flood warnings are in effect for Los Angeles, Ventura, and eastern Santa Barbara County, with a flood watch for all of Southern California on Christmas Day and into Friday.
• 💨 High winds are also a concern, with a high wind warning in effect for mountain areas and wind advisories for communities west of the mountains, bringing gusts of 35 to 50 miles per hour.

Atmospheric River and Rainfall Totals

• 🌊 An atmospheric river is pushing significant rain into the region, with Orange County, San Bernardino, and Riverside areas beginning to receive rainfall.
• 📈 Expected rainfall totals through Saturday morning include about 4 inches for coastal areas and up to 6 inches for valleys, with foothills and mountains potentially receiving 6 inches to a foot of rain.
• ⛰️ The heavy rainfall in mountain areas is not producing snow due to the warm storm system, but is contributing to concerns about mudslides and debris flow.

Forecast for Christmas and Beyond

• ⛈️ Christmas Day is expected to have on-and-off rain, with potential for thunderstorms on Thursday due to a colder air mass moving in behind the atmospheric river.
• 🗓️ The rain is forecast to continue through Friday afternoon before a break arrives by Saturday afternoon, with Sunday looking like a beautiful day.
• 🚗 Residents are advised to stay indoors due to dangerous conditions and avoid unnecessary travel.