California is catching a brief break from the destructive holiday storms that killed four people and disrupted Christmas travel, but more rain is expected starting New Year’s Eve, according to the National Weather Service.
The past week brought relentless rainfall, flash floods, mudslides, and strong winds, leaving highways submerged and flights delayed. Some areas received over 17 inches of rain, with gusts topping 110 mph. A tornado also touched down in a Los Angeles neighborhood.
Tragically, four people lost their lives in the storms: a man found in a mud-submerged van in Lancaster, a Sacramento County sheriff’s deputy killed in a crash, a San Diego man struck by a falling tree branch, and a Redding resident who died in severe flooding.
Ski resorts were heavily impacted as well. Mammoth Mountain saw two ski patrollers hospitalized in an avalanche, with all lifts closed on Friday. Heavenly Lake Tahoe ran only 13 of 27 lifts after receiving 58 inches of snow in the past week.
Power outages affected more than 50,000 homes and businesses on Friday, mostly in Northern California. By Saturday morning, the number had dropped to around 17,000. Rescue teams also responded to incidents like a woman swept into a stormwater wash in Los Angeles.
Weekend skies are expected to be mostly sunny, but gusty winds could topple weakened trees, particularly in areas hit by heavy rainfall. Another, smaller storm is forecast to bring up to 1.5 inches of rain to parts of Southern California on New Year’s Day.
Areas previously affected by wildfires remain especially vulnerable. Burned vegetation prevents water absorption, heightening the risk of mudslides, landslides, and power outages. Some burn scars may take four to five years to recover.
Mountain regions from the San Gabriel Mountains to the Sierra Nevada saw the heaviest precipitation, with over 6 inches falling on Mount Baldy and Mount San Antonio, triggering mudslides in fire-damaged Wrightwood.
