A strong, slow-moving storm unleashed torrents of rain on southern California on Wednesday night, submerging streets and prompting water rescues, and residents across the region are bracing for more wet weather.
Evacuation orders were issued in parts of Ventura county due to the extreme rainfall, where the deluge dumped more than 3in of rain in a single hour, and emergency responders were inundated with calls for help through the night. The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for Oxnard and the city of Ventura at 1.28am due to the high-intensity thunderstorm; it expired an hour later as the risks calmed. However, the rain continued.
Firefighters rushed to rescue residents at a senior community in Port Hueneme, using tactical vehicles to navigate the rising waters, as the county sheriff’s office of emergency services ordered roughly 60 nearby homes to evacuate. Along with people, responders saved a half-dozen animals – birds, cats and dogs – the Ventura County Star reported.
By Thursday morning, stranded cars were submerged along roads in Santa Barbara county, as local emergency management warned residents to stay off the streets.
UPDATE: The US 101 southbound off-ramp is closed at Garden Street in Santa Barbara. Video shows current conditions at Mission Street.
— Caltrans District 5 (@CaltransD5) December 21, 2023
No estimate for opening.@CaltransHQ @PIOJimShivers https://t.co/QS1PXbDunE pic.twitter.com/73wNByeS9k
“Heavy rain will create numerous areas of flash flooding with narrow canyons/gullies and burn scars the most vulnerable,” the NWS said on Thursday. Los Angeles and San Diego counties will continue to get drenched through Friday, with up to 10in of rain expected in the foothills and mountain areas and the chance for more than 12in along south-facing slopes.
NWS warned of possible power outages and risks of debris flows, especially in burn scars. Along with a chance of thunderstorms, a remote risk of “small, short-lived tornadoes” remains.
Meanwhile, Californians were gearing up for holiday travel and finishing preparations for Christmas. The Automobile Club of Southern California predicted that 9.5 million people in the region would travel during the year-end period.
The storm swept through northern California earlier in the week as the center of the low-pressure system slowly moved south off the coast. Forecasters described it as a “cutoff low”, a storm that is cut off from the general west-to-east flow and can linger for days, increasing the amount of rainfall.
This is from our crew in Oxnard this morning after torrential rain. A tornado warning was also issued for parts of Ventura County. #CAWX pic.twitter.com/v1DRe1NVsW
— Alys Martinez (@AlysMartinezTV) December 21, 2023
Last year, a parade of strong storms pummeled the state, leaving wreckage in their wake, and climate scientists have warned that California may be in for another wet winter. For years prior, the region had struggled through devastating drought conditions, but the flip in conditions came swiftly and severely.
As the climate crisis continues to unfold, these shifts are only expected to intensify.
“Increasing hydroclimate whiplash,” said the climate scientist Daniel Swain, is “a flavor of the future”. Speaking during a discussion about the upcoming storms broadcast on his YouTube channel on Wednesday, Swain added that warm, wet winters are a signature of what models show will come as the world heats.
“If you don’t like the way this year has progressed,” he said, “I have some not-so-great news for you about the next couple of decades.”
The Associated Press contributed to this story
