Biggest Storm Of The Season Bears Down On Los Angeles, Prompting Flood Watches & Concern Over Debris Flows In Burn Areas
National Weather Service forecasters today warned of a strong storm system is making its way toward Los Angeles, saying that the storm could trigger flooding and debris flows, particularly in recent burn areas.
Rain is expected to begin sometime Wednesday, and the National Weather Service has already issued a flash flood watch that will be in effect from Thursday afternoon through late Thursday night for the bulk of the Los Angeles area.
Forecasters said excessive rainfall could lead to “significant” flooding and debris flows in recent burn scars, including the Eaton and Palisades fires. They assed such risks as “moderate.”
A lesser storm last week caused mudslides on Topanga Canyon and PCH.
As a result, PCH remains closed both ways from Sweetwater Cyn Rd in the north to Chautauqua Blvd / West Channel Rd in the Palisades.
Topanga Canyon likewise remains closed between Grand View Drive and PCH.
Local residents have been concerned with debris cleanup and interim storage in the area. Some held a protest today against the Environmental Protection Agency’s plans to use a Will Rogers State Beach parking lot as a staging area for storage and processing of hazardous materials from the Palisades Fire.
Last month, Topanga-area residents protested the use of the land where the historic Topanga Ranch Motel once sat — it burned in the fire — as a “temporary site where hazardous items will be transported from nearby properties to be safely processed, sorted, and packaged.” The Ranch Motel property is located on the bank of Topanga Creek and the associated watershed.
Significant rain and flooding could add to those concerns.
“This storm will very likely be the biggest precipitation producer so far this season for most of southwest California,” the National Weather Service announced.
Clouds are expected to cover most of the region starting Wednesday, with as much as a half-inch of rain possible. But the brunt of the storm will arrive Thursday, with widespread rain likely to impact the area for about 36 hours.
“The more dangerous portion of the storm will occur with the cold front which will sweep into San Luis Obispo County late Thursday afternoon,” according to the NWS. “It will move into Santa Barbara County Thursday evening and then Ventura/Los Angeles counties after midnight. This will be the worrisome portion of the storm as rainfall rates near 1 inch per hour will be possible just ahead and with the front. People in or near to recent burn areas will need to by hyper vigilant of weather conditions during this time frame. There is also a 10 percent chance of thunderstorms with the front which will be well capable of producing dangerous rain rates in excess of 1 inch per hour as well a gusty winds and/or waterspouts.”
The rain will turn to showers on Friday, decreasing that afternoon.
Forecasters said the storm overall could drop 1 to 2 inches across much of the region, with 2 to 4 inches in coastal foothills. But according to the NWS, the rainfall totals could wind up being higher.
Snow levels will be at about 5,000 feet Wednesday, rising to 7,000 feet Thursday then falling back to about 5,000 feet. Higher elevations could see “several feet” of snow.
High temperatures will be in the 50s each day of the storm, which is about 5 to 10 degrees below normal, according to the NWS.
City News Service contributed to this report.
