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In Wrightwood, California, a formidable storm system swept through on Thursday, setting the stage for what could be Southern California’s wettest Christmas in recent memory. This weather event follows a day of heavy rain and strong winds that have already claimed two lives, raising concerns over potential flooding and mudslides.
Weather experts have cautioned that the looming storm could exacerbate the risk of debris flows in regions already suffering from the aftermath of January’s wildfires. These affected areas, stripped of their vegetation, are now more vulnerable and less capable of absorbing the heavy rainfall.
The storm’s impact was tragically evident on Wednesday. A man in San Diego lost his life when a tree fell on him, as reported by local media outlets. Meanwhile, in Sacramento, a sheriff’s deputy was killed in a crash that appears to have been influenced by the adverse weather conditions.
San Bernardino County firefighters were busy rescuing individuals trapped in vehicles as mud and debris cascaded down a road into Wrightwood, a mountain resort town located approximately 80 miles northeast of Los Angeles. The exact number of people rescued remains unclear, but the situation highlighted the storm’s severity.
In this town of around 5,000 residents, roads were blanketed with rocks, debris, and thick mud by Thursday. Power outages left the community in darkness, with a local gas station and coffee shop, powered by generators, becoming crucial meeting points for locals and visitors alike. Across California, PowerOutage.us reported that over 120,000 people were without electricity, underscoring the widespread impact of the storm.
“It’s really a crazy Christmas,” said Jill Jenkins, who was spending the holiday with her 13-year-old grandson, Hunter Lopiccolo.
Lopiccolo said the family almost evacuated the previous day, when water washed away a chunk of their backyard. But they eventually decided to stay and still celebrated the holiday. Lopiccolo got a new snowboard and e-bike.
“We just played card games all night with candles and flashlights,” he said.
Resident Arlene Corte said roads in town turned into rivers, but her house was not damaged.
“It could be a whole lot worse,” she said. “We’re here talking.”
With more rain on the way, more than 150 firefighters were stationed in the area, said San Bernardino County Fire spokesman Shawn Millerick.
“We’re ready,” he said. “It’s all hands on deck at this point.”
Heavy rain
Residents around burn scar zones from the Airport Fire in Orange County were under evacuation orders.
Areas along the coast, including Malibu, were under a flood watch until Friday afternoon, and wind and flood advisories were issued for much of the Sacramento Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area.
The storms were the result of multiple atmospheric rivers carrying massive plumes of moisture from the tropics during one of the busiest travel weeks of the year.
Southern California typically gets half an inch to 1 inch (1.3 to 2.5 centimeters) of rain this time of year, but this week many areas could see between 4 and 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters) with even more in the mountains, National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Wofford said.
Snow at higher elevations
More heavy snow was expected in the Sierra Nevada, where wind gusts created “near white-out conditions” in places and made mountain pass travel treacherous. Officials said there was a “high” avalanche risk around Lake Tahoe, and a winter storm warning was in effect through Friday.
Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in six counties to allow state assistance in storm response.
The state deployed emergency resources and first responders to several coastal and Southern California counties, and the California National Guard was on standby.
The California Highway Patrol reported a seemingly weather-related crash south of Sacramento in which a Sacramento sheriff’s deputy died. James Caravallo, who was with the agency for 19 years, was apparently traveling at an unsafe speed, lost control on a wet road and crashed into a power pole, CHP Officer Michael Harper said via email.
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Associated Press writers Sophie Austin in Sacramento, Jessica Hill in Las Vegas and Hannah Schoenbaum in Salt Lake City contributed.
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