The weather forecast on Monday calls for rain through the weekend, with things possibly drying out next week, as California grapples with one of its wettest Novembers ever, according to the National Weather Service satellite data.
“Many locations picked up 2 to 4 inches of rain in the lower elevations, around the higher terrain, 3 to 8 inches,” Ariel Cohen, a meteorologist in charge for the NWS, said in a phone interview Monday. “Some spots got over 10 inches in the mountains, coastal ranges, so it was a very significant storm system.”
Part of the challenge for a number of communities in Southern California is the potential for flooding due to the devastating wildfires that hit in January.
“Recent research by (the Department of Water Resources) shows that as California experiences larger and more extreme shifts from droughts to floods, the largest flood flows on California rivers could dramatically increase,” according to an October statement that touted more than 115 miles of watershed protection materials and 4.3 million sandbags. “Further, the risk from flooding is also expected to increase this century due to an increase in storms that hold more moisture, resulting in larger flood flows on major rivers.”
L.A. County 5th District Supervisor Kathryn Barger called for residents to be vigilant Friday in looking out for the onslaught of rain the area is expecting.
“Today’s current rainfall may not seem threatening, but I urge our residents to not discount it — we are facing some very real risks in the coming hours and days,” Barger wrote in an email. “Storms are serious and I want every Los Angeles County resident to stay alert and stay informed. If you live in our mountain or foothill communities — or near recent burn scars like the Eaton Fire or Bridge Fire areas — be especially vigilant. Preparation now can save lives later.”
There were also numerous crashes and traffic delays over the weekend caused by the rain, which prompted officials to urge caution on the roads. Cohen said the weather will let up some later in the week, and issued a similar call for safety on the roadways with more wet weather en route.
“And we’re looking for the rain to continue on and off over the next day or so, and the potential for minor flooding and debris flows and rockslides and mudslides are all going to be on the table,” he said, “and so I just encourage everyone to remain vigilant and never drive through a flooded roadway.”
The L.A. County disaster website ready.lacounty.gov issued the following advice for anyone who might be in a burn-scar area and concerned about the potential for flooding.
All residents are encouraged to:
- Sign up for emergency alerts at alert.lacounty.gov.
- Download the Genasys Alert mobile app or visit genasys.com to view your evacuation status.
- Find the nearest sand and sandbag distribution site at pw.lacounty.gov/dsg/sandbags.
- View the Los Angeles County Public Works mud and debris flow forecast for their area at dpw.lacounty.gov/wrd/forecast/index.cfm.
- Visit ready.lacounty.gov/rain for the latest rain preparedness tips and resources.
- Have an emergency plan in place that is easy for all family members to understand.
