In a severe weather event, an atmospheric river-induced storm struck Southern California with full force on Monday, resulting in significant damage across the region. The storm triggered numerous instances of flooding, initiated dangerous mudslides, and left many residents without power as emergency protocols were activated.
The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings for approximately 1.4 million residents in areas including the Los Angeles sector, encompassing the Hollywood Hills and Beverly Hills. Reports indicate that up to 9 inches (23 centimeters) of rain had deluged the region by Monday morning, with predictions of further rainfall. Authorities highlighted the seriousness of the flash flooding and mudslides, calling attention to the elevated risks posed by the storm.
A concerning notification on Sunday evening informed Keki Mingus, a resident of Los Angeles’s Studio City, of a jeopardized home at the crest of a nearby hill, indicative of the storm’s potential to impact infrastructure and safety.
Los Angeles’s downtown set a new rainfall record on Sunday, as measured precipitation reached 4.1 inches (10.41 centimeters), surpassing the historic high of 2.55 inches (6.48 centimeters) recorded in 1927. According to meteorological data, Sunday was cataloged not only as the third wettest February day on record but also as one of the top ten wettest days for downtown Los Angeles since records began in 1877.
Further north, the bay area of San Francisco experienced significant disruptions from the storm, with inundated streets, downed trees, and toppled power lines. Wind speeds were recorded surpassing 60 mph (96 kph) in some sectors, while mountainous regions clocked gusts exceeding 80 mph (128 kph).
In San Jose, situated to the south, emergency teams conducted dramatic rescues, extracting individuals from submerged vehicles and aiding inhabitants of a homeless encampment next to an engorged river.
A text late Sunday alerted Keki Mingus, who lives in the Studio City section of Los Angeles, that a neighbor’s house at the top of a hill was in trouble, the Associated Press reported. “Mud, rocks and water came rushing down through their house and another neighbor’s house and into our street,” Mingus said as water continued to rush down the road around dawn on Monday. “I can’t believe it. It looks like a river that’s been here for years. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
