California officials and meteorologists urged holiday travelers to avoid the roads and reconsider travel on Christmas, as a series of powerful winter storms brought heavy rain, high winds and mountain snow.
Storms began moving in late Tuesday evening and are expected to intensify until Christmas Eve. Authorities said millions of people expected to travel through the state are likely to face dangerous, if not impossible, conditions, as many people… Atmospheric rivers The National Weather Service warned that it was expected to make its way across the state.
“If you plan to be on the roads for the Christmas holiday, please reconsider your plans,” Ariel Cohen, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Los Angeles, said during a news conference on Tuesday.
Southern California could see the rainiest Christmas in years, forecasters said, warning of flooding, mudslides and debris flows in burned areas. Forest fires last January. Los Angeles County officials said they are knocking on the doors of about 380 particularly vulnerable families to order them to leave.
Much of the Sacramento Valley and San Francisco Bay Area were under a flood watch and high wind warning through Friday. Forecasters warned that heavy snow and storms were expected to create “near whiteout conditions” Wednesday in parts of the Sierra Nevada and make it “almost impossible” to travel through mountain passes.
There is also a risk of severe thunderstorms and a small chance of tornadoes along the northern coast.
Heavy rains and flash floods have already prompted water rescues At least one death Local officials in Northern California said. Shasta County Sheriff Michael Johnson on Monday declared a state of emergency to prepare for more rain and allow the state to help with hazard mitigation and search and rescue operations.
Southern California typically receives between 1/2 inch and 1 inch (1.3 to 2.5 cm) of rain this time of year, but this week many areas could see between 4 and 8 inches (10 to 20 cm), said Mike Wofford, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. It can be more in the mountains. Wind speeds could reach 60 to 80 mph (96.5 to 127.8 kph) in parts of the Central Coast.
Officials expect many roads to be closed and airports delayed during the storms. Fallen trees and power lines are also possible. Parts of Los Angeles are under evacuation warnings this week.
The county placed K bars, a type of barrier, around the burn scar to help catch sliding debris during rainstorms. Residents can also get free sandbags to protect their homes, said Katherine Barger, a Los Angeles County supervisor who represents Altadena.
Jim McDonnell, chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, said many people in burn scar areas decided not to leave after receiving the evacuation notice. He urged them to reconsider.
He added, “The threat posed by this storm is real and imminent.”
Local and state officials are preparing to respond to emergencies during the week. The state has deployed resources and first responders to a number of counties along the coast and in Southern California. The California National Guard is also ready to assist.
An atmospheric river is a long, narrow band of water vapor that forms over the ocean and flows across the sky. Moisture transport from the tropics To northern latitudes.
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Associated Press writers Sophie Austin in Sacramento, California, and Jessica Hale in Las Vegas contributed to this report.