Storm continues to soak SoCal, flood fears escalate

A whirlpool forms around a city worker in the Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles as he lifts a manhole cover to clear street flooding, Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Eugene Garcia)

LOS ANGELES – A relentless atmospheric river continued dumping rain across Southern California today, adding to record-setting rain totals that had already reached double-digits in some areas and caused mud and debris flows that forced evacuations and left some homes heavily damaged.

By Monday morning, the storm had already dropped more than 10 inches of rain in Woodland Hills, according to the National Weather Service. Bel Air received nearly 10.6 inches, while Beverly Hills received more than 7 inches. Some areas in the Santa Monica Mountains received nearly 11 inches.

And more rain was still falling. NWS forecasters said as much as 3 more inches could fall in most Los Angeles County areas, with higher amounts possible in the mountains.

The storm could also still generate thunderstorms through Tuesday night, forecasters said, resulting in even higher rainfall rates and raising the risk of flooding.

Flooding is seen outside the Hammer Museum in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. A storm of historic proportions dumped a record amount of rain over parts of Los Angeles on Monday, sending mud and boulders down hillsides dotted with multimillion-dollar homes while people living in homeless encampments in many parts of the city scrambled for safety. (AP Photo/Eugene Garcia)

With rain expected to continue falling throughout the day and into Tuesday, a flash flood warning was issued until 9 p.m. for the Santa Monica Mountains and the Hollywood Hills, with forecasters saying between 6 and 11 inches of rain had already fallen in those areas and “moderate to heavy rain” expected to continue into the early evening.

A flood advisory was issued for the rest of LA County through 9 p.m. as rain continued falling.

“Widespread roadway and small stream flooding will continue across much of Los Angeles County through this evening,” NWS forecasters said. “In addition, there will be the threat of debris flows, as well as additional rock and mudslide activity, especially in the mountains and canyon roadways.”

Mud and debris flows impacted multiple areas during heavy downpours that occurred overnight and early Monday morning.

In the Hollywood Hills, a mudslide severely damaged six homes and threatened a seventh along Beverly Drive in the Beverly Crest area. Los Angeles Fire Department crews escorted 15 residents out of the area, including nine children, but no injuries were reported. City Building and Safety crews were assessing the extent of damage to the homes. Two homes sustained significant damage in Studio City when mud and debris slid down a hillside along Lockridge Road. Fire crews evacuated residents from nine homes on the stretch. In the Tarzana/Encino area, three homes were impacted by a debris flow along Boris Drive, prompting some evacuations.

Rocks and boulders fell on parts of Malibu Canyon Road overnight, prompting a closure along that street that was later lifted. But stretches of Piuma Road and Topanga Canyon Boulevard were also closed due to flooding and debris in the Malibu/Topanga areas, with sheriff’s officials reporting several vehicles completely submerged on Piuma.

The Los Angeles Fire Department reported earlier closures on Benedict Canyon and Beverly Glen Canyon roads because of flooding and rock slides.

Roads leading to and through the Sepulveda Basin were closed due to flooding, including Burbank Boulevard between the San Diego (405) Freeway and Balboa Boulevard and Woodley Avenue between Burbank and Victory boulevards.

A man walks under heavy rain past temporary tents in Skid Row, one of the largest populations of homeless people in the United States on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. A storm of historic proportions dumped a record amount of rain over parts of Los Angeles on Monday, sending mud and boulders down hillsides dotted with multimillion-dollar homes while people living in homeless encampments in many parts of the city scrambled for safety. Shelters were adding beds for the city’s homeless population of nearly 75,000 people. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Los Angeles officials urged residents to stay home and off the roads Monday.  Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in eight counties in the state, including Los Angeles and Orange counties.

Los Angeles County later declared its own state of emergency, and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on Monday also signed a local emergency declaration.

The emergency proclamations will help expedite procurement of vital supplies and resources, deployment of disaster service workers and the use of emergency protective measures such as evacuation orders, officials said.

Residents in the La Tuna Canyon Road area north of Hollywood Burbank Airport were ordered to evacuate until Tuesday due to the high risk of debris flow triggered by the heavy rain.

The affected area borders Horse Haven Street to the north, Martindale Avenue to the east, Penrose Street to the south, and Ledge Avenue to the west, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Eastbound La Tuna Canyon Road was closed to all but residents in the evacuation area at Ledge Avenue, at Sunland Boulevard, at Honolulu Avenue and the westbound lanes are closed at the Foothill (210) Freeway with only freeway access allowed.

Evacuation centers for people and household pets have opened at Sunland Senior Citizen Center at 8640 Fenwick St. and Lake View Terrace Recreation Center  at 11075 Foothill Blvd. Large animals can be evacuated to Hansen Dam Horse Park at 11127 Orcas Ave. in Lake View Terrace, and the LA Equestrian Center at 480 Riverside Drive in Burbank.

Los Angeles County issued evacuation orders for the Owen Fire burn area, on Santa Maria Road north of Topanga Canyon, and the Agua Fire area along Soledad Canyon Road east of Agua Dulce Canyon Road. Those orders will be in effect through 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Additionally, evacuation warnings were issued for areas of unincorporated Los Angeles County near burn scars through 6 p.m. Tuesday, including the Juniper Hills and Valyermo areas from the Bobcat Fire, and the following areas of Lake Hughes and King Canyon from the Lake Fire:

• 20000 block of Pine Canyon Road;
• 18000 block of Ellstree Drive;
• 46000 block of Kings Canyon Road;
• 18000 block of Newvale Drive; and
• 43000 block of Lake Hughes Road.

The city of Duarte also issued an evacuation warning for an area near the Fish Fire burn scar. That warning will be in effect through 10 a.m. Tuesday for the area on Mel Canyon Road between Fish Canyon Road and Brookridge Road.

In Orange County, a voluntary evacuation warning was issued at 7 p.m. Sunday for Silverado, Williams, Modjeska and Trabuco canyons due to heavy rains. A map with detailed depictions of the areas under evacuation warnings can be found at www.ocsheriff.gov/emergency.

Canyon residents were encouraged to prepare and voluntarily evacuate, especially those with disabilities, access and/or functional needs, and canyon residents with large animals.

With more rain on the way, the storm had already shattered some local rain records by Sunday.

According to the National Weather Service, 4.10 inches of rain fell in downtown Los Angeles Sunday, breaking the daily rainfall total for Feb. 4 of 2.55 inches set in 1927. It was the third wettest February day and the 12th wettest day for anytime during the year since 1877, when rainfall totals first started being recorded. The wettest day on record for downtown Los Angeles was 5.88 inches set on March 21, 1938.

A total of 1.76 inches of rain were reported at Los Angeles International Airport Sunday, breaking the record for the day of 0.56 inches set in 1958. There were 1.50 inches of rain reported at Long Beach Airport, breaking the record for the day of 0.69 inches set in 1975.

Thousands of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and Southern California Edison customers lost power during the storms, and utility officials said crews were working frantically to restore service.

NWS forecasters warned residents to expect more rain into at least Tuesday.

“Periods of rain, mountain snow, and possible thunderstorms will continue through at least Tuesday night and possibly through Thursday morning,” according to the NWS. “Light to moderate rain will be common, with locally heavy but brief downpours. Snow levels will lower each day with mountain snow issues increasing. Gusty west to northwest winds will form Wednesday into Thursday.” (CNS)