Southern California is facing heavy rain, strong winds and heavy snow during the Christmas holiday season, a combination that forecasters say could lead to life-threatening flooding and mudslides, among other hazards.
Excessive rainfall also has the potential to raise the risk of flooding, according to the National Weather Service.
“These [high-risk] days account for nearly two out of five flood-related deaths and the majority of all flood-related property losses in the United States,” the agency said.
Rain in Southern California is expected to intensify throughout the day Tuesday and into the night, but the greatest risk of flooding is expected Wednesday, said Ariel Cohen, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Oxnard office.
Areas at risk of flash flooding include the southern slopes of the Santa Monica, San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains. Much of the LA Basin, along with Santa Clarita, Thousand Oaks and Santa Barbara, is included in that high risk area, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Weather Prediction Center.
Flood risks may extend into Saturday, as meteorologists say the chance of rain will continue through the weekend.
As the name suggests, flash floods can develop quickly, sometimes in just a few minutes and without any visible signs of rain, according to Ready LA County, a state-sponsored emergency preparedness website.
Be aware of flood hazards wherever you live, but especially if your home is in low-lying or near water, ravines or near a recently burned hillside, Ready LA County advises.
How do you assess the risk of flooding in your area?
Use a flood map to understand the flood risk in your community and whether your home is in a flood zone.
A flood prone area is an area that may experience flooding during heavy rains or a weather disaster.
Three government agencies – the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and Los Angeles County Public Works – provide information online about flood risks and other hazards throughout California. All you have to do is plug your address into the search tool to see what problems your home is facing.
A community’s flood risk changes over time, so the National Flood Insurance Program and the Federal Emergency Management Agency continue to update flood maps across the country.
Prepare for flooding
Preparing for a flood – or any kind of emergency, for that matter – starts with making a plan with your immediate family and neighbors.
Essential package: Part of that plan includes packing a bag that should contain important documents (in a Ziploc or other type of waterproof bag), medication, an extra set of glasses (or contacts), comfortable shoes, a change of clothes, small bills ($1 and $5 bills), phone charger, flashlight, water and non-perishable food.
If you have pets, pack food, treats and extra leash if you have them.
Keep in mind what a family member needs when creating your travel bag.
Consider putting your emergency contact list on paper in case your phone stops working or the battery dies and you can’t look up contacts there.
Protect your property: If your home is in a flood zone or you’ve received a flood warning or flood watch, move your valuables from the ground floor to an upper floor – or to the highest point within your home.
If you must leave the premises, you must disconnect all electrical equipment or close the electrical circuits at the fuse box or circuit breaker panel.
For an outdoor home, use sandbags to divert or redirect runoff and storm debris on your property.
Ready-to-fill sandbags are available at all Los Angeles Fire Department stations within downtown Los Angeles. A complete list of locations can be found online.
Throughout LA County, Public Works has an online list of fire stations and other sites where residents can fill sandbags during dry spells.
Officials ask you to call ahead to your local station before arriving to make sure supplies aren’t running out.
Follow up on urgent orders
If an evacuation is ordered or advised in your community, get out immediately.
Stay informed about alerts and warnings by registering with your local emergency notification system.
Los Angeles County residents can sign up with Alert LA County, Notify LA and Nixle to receive alerts via text message or email. Stay up-to-date on weather forecasts by tuning in to your local news station and checking the website of the National Weather Service office in Los Angeles.
If you’ve been evacuated, wait until authorities give you the all-clear before returning to your home.
Current evacuation warnings
On Tuesday, Los Angeles city and county officials issued storm evacuation warnings for several high-risk areas:
- Near the San Gabriel Mountains with the Altadena Mountains in the Eaton fire area.
- Near Pacific Palisades and Mandeville Canyon in the Palisades fire area.
- South of Runyon Canyon near Sunset Volcano.
- Near Soledad Canyon Road and Agua Dulce Canyon Road in the Lidia fire area and Agua Dulce burn areas.
- Close to Hasley Canyon and Val Verde in the Canyon fire area.
- Near the hills of Sylmar and San Fernando in the Hurst fire area.
- Close to the Sierra Madre foothill and canyon areas.
- North of Alizia Canyon Drive at the Kenneth fire station.
- Near Topanga Canyon in the Owen fire area.
- Near Mt. Baldy near Glendora Ridge Road in the Bridge fire area.
- Along Mulholland Highway, East Lake Shore Drive on the Franklin fire and the eastern Palisades fire areas.
All evacuation warnings are in effect from 11am Tuesday to 11pm Thursday.
Staff writer Grace Toohey contributed to this report.
