Sidst opdateret i december 23, 2023
december 23, 2023 – A powerful atmospheric river unleashed a deluge of rain across Southern California on Thursday, causing widespread flooding, vejspærringer, evacuations, and power outages in several counties.
The storm, which originated from the Pacific Ocean, dumped more than 4 inches of rain in some areas from late Tuesday to early Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.
The heaviest rainfall occurred on Thursday morning, with rates exceeding 2 inches per hour in some locations, leading to flash flooding and debris flows.
Ventura County under evacuation warning, Oxnard sees rare rainfall event
One of the hardest-hit areas was Ventura County, where more than 60 homes were affected by floodwaters and parts of the county were under an evacuation warning until noon Friday, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office said.
The county’s fire department received 275 calls within five hours overnight, well above the average of 190 calls in a 24-hour period, and performed 12 swift water rescues, spokesperson Andy VanSciver said in a video statement on X.
Oxnard, the county’s largest city, recorded more than 2.5 inches of rain in just a few hours on Thursday morning, marking a rare 1-in-500-year rainfall event for the city.
Santa Barbara, Englene, and San Diego also impacted by the storm
Mod vest, Santa Barbara also experienced intense rainfall that left some roadways underwater.
Multiple ramps leading to Highway 101 were closed late Thursday morning due to flooding, according to the California Department of Transportation.
Across most of Southern California, rainfall totals of 2 til 5 inches were likely, with another 5 til 10 inches of rain possible on and below south-facing foothills and coastal slopes, the weather service said.
Flood watches were in effect through Thursday evening for parts of the Los Angeles area, San Diego, Palm Springs, og Coachella Valley.
Palm Springs could see an entire year’s worth of rain just from this storm.
The weather service warned that some of the flooding could be significant and potentially life-threatening, with extensive roadway flooding, rock and mudslides, debris flows near recent burn scars, and significant creek flooding all possible.
A moderate risk for excessive rainfall, a level 3 af 4, was also in effect Thursday for parts of Southern California, including Santa Barbara and the Los Angeles metro area.
Storm expected to move out by Friday, travel plans disrupted
The storm also brought some thunderstorms to the Coachella Valley region, but they were unlikely to turn severe.
i øvrigt, earlier in the week, a rare tornado hit Northern California, causing tree and minor structure damage in Oroville, om 70 miles north of Sacramento.
The storm was expected to move out of the area by Friday, but the weather service advised residents to stay alert and prepared for any sudden changes in weather conditions, especially if they live in low-lying or flood-prone areas.
The storm also disrupted travel plans for many people ahead of the holiday weekend, as flights were delayed or canceled at several airports, including Los Angeles International Airport and San Diego International Airport.
The storm was part of a series of atmospheric rivers that have been affecting the West Coast this month, bringing much-needed moisture to the drought-stricken region.
Atmospheric rivers are long plumes of moisture that can transport large amounts of water vapor from the tropics to higher latitudes, where they can produce heavy rain and snow.
According to the weather service, atmospheric rivers are responsible for about 30% til 50% of the annual precipitation in the West Coast states, and can also provide beneficial snowpack for water supply.
desværre, they can also cause hazards such as flooding, landslides, and erosion when they are too strong or persistent.
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