California Braces for Catastrophic Rainfall: Floods, Rockslides, and Power Outages Loom in Fire-Ravaged Areas
Image Source: Internet
A powerful atmospheric river storm system is bringing unprecedented rainfall to Southern California, threatening to unleash devastating floods, rockslides, and power outages in fire-ravaged areas of Los Angeles. The National Weather Service has issued evacuation warnings and orders for parts of Ventura County and areas affected by the Palisades and Eaton fires in January. Over 4 inches of rain have already fallen in coastal Santa Barbara County, with more than a foot of snow predicted for parts of the Sierra Nevada. The heaviest rain is expected to dump up to an inch an hour over a large portion of the region, causing widespread traffic incidents, delays, and road closures. Flooded roads, freeway lanes, and on-ramps and off-ramps are also possible. Residents in high-risk areas, particularly those ravaged by wildfires earlier this year, are advised to be on high alert for mudslides and rockslides. Canyon roads, such as Topanga Canyon, are particularly vulnerable. While no major effects have been reported yet, a large downed tree smashed a car in an LA neighborhood, highlighting the storm's potential for destruction. The storm system, which began drenching the San Francisco Bay Area on Wednesday, is expected to continue dumping rain over Southern California through Sunday. More wet weather is predicted for early next week, with another storm bringing light to moderate rain and potentially offering a brief break from the deluge. However, yet another storm is forecast to follow days later, keeping the region on high alert for the foreseeable future.
