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MONROVIA (CBSLA) – Power outages, flooding and debris flows are all in play when a powerful storm descends on the Southland Thursday and Friday, forecasters say.
Rough seas frame Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara, Calif., on Jan. 27, 2021. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images)
Up to 3.5 inches of rain are possible in the valleys, and up to 3 feet of snow are likely in the mountains when the storm hits the Southland in full force, beginning Thursday afternoon and continuing into Friday morning.
The storm was hovering over San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties Thursday morning – bringing those areas a steady rain and strong wind gusts — but was expected to shift south by the afternoon hours.
The National Weather Service has warned that recent wildfire burn areas — such as the Bobcat Fire burn area near Monrovia and last September’s El Dorado Fire near Yucaipa — are particularly vulnerable and could see dangerous mudslides because of loose and unstable hillsides scorched by the wildfires.
“We’ve got a big slope here, so it’s hard to say how hard and fast things can happen if there’s a problem,” Monrovia homeowner David Hasenauer told CBSLA Wednesday.
L.A. County Public Works crews added a drainage pipe to help divert high waters in Monrovia, and also ensured that catch basins are cleared.
Residents in Lake Hughes, site of the Lake Fire last September, were being warned to prepare for possible evacuations.
“As the storm shifts south later today and tonight, heavy rain is expected to spread into the recent burn scars in Los Angeles County, including the Lake, Bobcat, and Ranch 2 burn scars,” the NWS said in a statement Thursday.
Urban roadway flooding, downed trees and power outages are all possible. L.A. County residents were informed they could pick up free sandbags at several L.A. County Fire Department stations.
Meanwhile, rain high up in the San Bernardino Mountains could melt the snowpack and trigger debris flows below, Cal Fire Capt. Richard Cordova told CBSLA Wednesday.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Wednesday issued an evacuation warning for Mountain Home Village, Oak Glen and Northeast Yucaipa due to the El Dorado Fire burn scar.
Enjoy the calm, cool, cloudy morning before the big storm moves in this afternoon! Winter Storm Warnings, Flash Flood Watches, High Surf Advisories and Wind Advisories all issued. Isolated rain totals to 5″ and up to 3 ft of snow possible in mtns! #cbsla pic.twitter.com/v3Fl2ZEotd
— Danielle Gersh (@DanielleGersh) January 28, 2021
A winter storm warning will be in effect for the mountains from 3 p.m. Thursday to 3 p.m. Friday. Anywhere from 1 to 3 feet of snow is possible at elevations above 6,000 feet, with snow levels dropping to 4,500 feet.
A flash flood watch is in effect from 4 p.m. Thursday to 4 p.m. Friday for the Antelope, San Gabriel and Santa Clarita valleys. L.A. and Ventura counties will see anywhere from 1.5 to 3.5 inches of rain, and up to 5 inches of rain in the mountains.
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