"A major atmospheric river storm walloping the state with heavy rains, strong winds and major snow has made its way to Southern California, bringing what forecasters say may become the region's worst Christmas storm in recent memory. "This is a long-duration event, so we're going to be having the cumulative effects of rain," said Ariel Cohen, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service's Oxnard office."
"He said there was a high potential for widespread, life-threatening flooding as well as dangerous rock and mudslides, among other risks. "It might be best to stay indoors during this event," Cohen said. "This is a lot of rain that's going to stack up over multiple days." Although rains are expected to intensify throughout the day Tuesday and into the night, concerns over serious flooding are focused on Wednesday - Christmas Eve - as rainfall totals increase, he said."
"Flooding risks could even stretch through Saturday, as the chance for rain will linger until then. "It's going to take less and less rain for there to be more and more impacts as the week progresses," Cohen said. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Weather Prediction Center elevated the flash flood risk to high for Wednesday across a large swath of southwest California, particularly the southern slopes of the Santa Monica, San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains."
A major atmospheric river is bringing heavy rain, strong winds and significant snowfall to Southern California, with potential to be the region's worst Christmas storm in recent memory. The system is long-duration, so rain will accumulate over multiple days, increasing flood and landslide risk. Widespread, life-threatening flooding and dangerous rock and mudslides are likely in vulnerable areas. Rainfall is expected to intensify into Tuesday night, with the highest flash-flood threat on Wednesday (Christmas Eve) and flood risks possibly lingering through Saturday as periodic rain continues. High flash-flood risk is focused along southern slopes of the Transverse Range and surrounding communities.
Read at Los Angeles Times
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]