A powerful atmospheric river storm that slammed Southern California over the Christmas holiday is finally winding down, but not before posing a renewed flood risk to millions of post-holiday travelers on Friday.
A Holiday Deluge Swamps the Region
The intense rainfall, which began in earnest on Christmas Eve, was driven by a vast current of dense Pacific moisture known as an atmospheric river. This system swept inland over the greater Los Angeles area, dumping significant precipitation across the region. The Los Angeles area received up to 6 inches of rain, while some mountain locations saw a staggering 18 inches of rainfall.
The deluge had immediate and severe consequences, washing out roads, triggering evacuations, and prompting shelter-in-place orders in some communities. Aerial footage from Christmas Eve revealed dramatic scenes of mud rivers flowing through cabin neighborhoods, with cars and homes coated in debris.
One More Day of Messy Weather
Forecasters warn that the threat is not yet over. An additional 1 to 3 inches of rain is expected across Southern California on Friday, according to AccuWeather senior meteorologist Tom Kines. "Our overall picture is that there's just one more day of this mess, mostly across Southern California, specifically in the LA area," Kines stated on Friday.
The National Weather Service confirmed the atmospheric river will continue to wind down through the day, bringing lingering heavy rain, heavy mountain snow, and gusty winds. However, a silver lining is on the horizon for the estimated 14.5 million Californians who AAA predicted would travel by car during the holiday. "This weekend is mainly dry, thankfully," Kines added, indicating that travel conditions should improve significantly after days of hazardous, slick roads.
Local Impacts and a Fatal Incident
While many evacuation warnings in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties were lifted on Christmas Day, some orders remained in effect Friday. The hard-hit mountain town of Wrightwood, with a population of about 5,000, continued under evacuation orders as crews assessed damage.
The storm's danger was tragically underscored by a fatal incident in Northern California. A 74-year-old motorist died in Redding on Sunday after driving around police barricades into a flooded road. His pickup truck became submerged in deep floodwater, according to a statement from Redding police.
Residents in affected areas spent Christmas Day navigating the aftermath. Online videos showed people scrambling over washed-out roads and picking through rubble as water continued to flow over mounds of mud, transforming familiar streets into treacherous gullies.
