Southern California is bracing for a potentially strong atmospheric river that could bring significant rainfall, raising fears of damaging debris flows and landslides. The National Weather Service predicts rainfall amounts ranging from 2 to up to 8 inches, especially in the coastal and mountainous areas. This situation poses a dual risk: while the rain could help mitigate the ongoing winter fire threats, it also increases the likelihood of landslides due to the erosion of soil and vegetation loss, exacerbated by previous wildfires.
There's a 60% chance of rainfall of that magnitude in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, and a 40% chance in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
California's mountains present a particular challenge, as they're quite tall and the elevation drops rapidly as water drains to the sea.
When hills are verdant and healthy, vegetation can anchor the soil in place, even during heavy storms. But when that protective blanket is burned off, hillsides become vulnerable to erosion.
Rain of that magnitude would end what's been an especially devastating winter fire season, but it also threatens to trigger another disaster that's all too familiar for many Californians.
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