Floodwaters rush through Montecito, California on Monday afternoon
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Much of California is on flood watch on Tuesday as some regions approach ten inches of total rainfall and brace for possible tornadoes.
As the storm continues, the state is seeing flash flooding and reports of landslides in Los Angeles. Flood watches for other regions, including the Bay Area, Sacramento and San Diego are still in effect as of Tuesday morning.
Officials are warning Californians to avoid road travel and prepare for power outages, mud or rock slides and coastal flooding. Portions of the US-101 and Pacific Coast Highway were blocked on Monday as rainfall intensified and floodwaters rushed onto the major roadway.
Meanwhile, Santa Barbara County officials issued evacuation warnings for waterfront neighbourhoods which could persist through Wednesday.
Tornadoes are also possible in the Sacramento Valley region, according to forecasters, along with the slight risk of severe thunderstorms over parts of inland northern California. Supercells, which can cause tornadoes and hail, began to form over central California.
Many parts of California are already saturated from the heavy rain after a storm earlier this month caused hundreds of landslides so far.
ICYMI: Several neighbourhoods under evacuation warnings in Santa Barbara County
Santa Barbara County officials have issued evacuation warnings for waterfront neighbourhoods as a destructive storm hits the region.
The warnings come amid threats of flash flooding and landslides from excessive rain, the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management said in a statement. The risk will persist through Wednesday.
Katie Hawkinson20 February 2024 14:00
IN PICTURES: Road closures, flooding on Southern California freeways on Monday morning
Katie Hawkinson20 February 2024 13:00
ICYMI: Los Angeles officials prepare shelters for unhoused people amid storm
Los Angeles city officials have opened winter weather shelters for unhoused people as a powerful storm hits the region, according to a statement from Mayor Karen Bass.
The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority outreach workers will also be offering transportation and hotel vouchers, the statement reads.
“[The system] is not designed to help anyone that’s actually out there… It was such an abysmal response,” community organiser Carla Orendorff told The Independent several days ago.
Read more about Ms Orendorff’s response and the impact of storms on unhoused people in Los Angeles, California from Mike Bedigan:
Katie Hawkinson20 February 2024 12:00
ICYMI: Watch as floodwaters rush through Santa Barbara County
Floodwaters rush through Montecito, California
Katie Hawkinson20 February 2024 11:00
ICYMI: California residents survey damage caused by historic storms: ‘We were in shock’
During torrential downpours earlier this month, firefighters responded to a heavy debris flow in the Beverly Crest area of Los Angeles, evacuating seven homes.
Residents told Mike Bedigan they had “not even remotely had anything like this before”.
Read more:
Katie Hawkinson20 February 2024 09:00
SEE IT: High surf slams California’s Bay Area on Monday afternoon
Katie Hawkinson20 February 2024 07:00
SEE IT: Satellite imagery of ‘gravity waves’ rippling across California as storm blows through the state
Katie Hawkinson20 February 2024 05:01
What are supercells, the weather phenomena forming over California today?
Supercells are beginning to form over California today, worsening an already severe weather situation in the state.
Supercells are storm systems that generate rotating winds and a strong updraft — meaning they can cause both hail and tornadoes in the regions they impact.
These supercells come as parts of California are already under tornado threats — and heavy thunderstorms are threatening much of the state.
Io Dodds20 February 2024 04:27
Tornado warnings expire for seven California towns
As of 7pm Pacific Time, the latest bulletin from the National Weather Service (NWS) remains largely unchanged from earlier this afternoon.
“Gusty southerly winds will continue thru early this evening, especially over the Ventura County and LA County mountains and the Antelope Valley, where wind advisories remain in effect until 6pm,” the NWS said.
“Additional rainfall tonight through Wed morning is expected to be highest over LA County, with 1.5 to three inches for the coast and valleys, and two to four inches in the mountains, with most of the rain falling tonight through Tue.
“Tornado warnings for Meadow Valley, Belden, Tobin, Kelly Ridge, Berry Creek, and Meadow Valley, had expired as of 4:30pm local time, according to the NWS’s tornado-focused account on X (formerly Twitter).
A tornado warning for Georgetown in northeastern California also expired at 6:45pm, according to the NWS’s Sacramento branch.
Io Dodds20 February 2024 03:41
Road closures hit all over LA County
Numerous roads have been closed and residential areas evacuated due to the risk of floods and mudflows.
The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department issued an evacuation warning for some parts of Santa Maria Road near Topanga Canyon, northwest of the city proper, lasting through 9am on Wednesday.
Residents should prepare to evacuated rapidly if the situation worsens, the department said, while those who would need extra time (such as people with pets and livestock) should leave immediately.
Los Angeles County officials also issued an alert for debris flows in the northern San Fernando Valley, saying evacuations may be ordered if conditions require it.
Part of Mullholland Drive remained closed to through traffic on Monday evening following landslides earlier this month, while the Pacific Coast Highway will be closed between 6pm and 7am every night between Sycamore Canyon Road and Las Posas Road in Ventura County.
Io Dodds20 February 2024 03:18