LIVE: Flood watch remains in LA County as cold and soggy Christmas hits Southern California
LOS ANGELES - It was a cold and soggy Christmas across California as the second wave of a holiday storm arrived on Thursday.
Howling winds and downpours led to some flooded roadways and even road closures in some communities. In addition, evacuation orders are in place for residents in recent burn scar zones.
Newsom declares state of emergency
As the first wave of the storm, set to be the most intense of the holiday week, bared down across the Southland, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a state of emergency for Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Diego and Shasta counties. This will "activate emergency authorities and preposition resources to keep our communities safe," Newsom explained.
Evacuation warnings
Evacuation warnings remain in place for the following burn scar zones:
Los Angeles County
- Kenneth Fire
- Palisades and Mandeville Canyon
- Eaton Fire
- Sunset Fire
- Topanga Canyon closure (Pacific Coast Highway to Grand View Drive)
Ventura County
Evacuation warnings in Ventura County were lifted on Wednesday.
Orange County
Evacuation warnings were lifted in Orange County for the Airport Fire burn scar zone on Wednesday.
San Bernardino County
Parts of the Wrightwood community were under an evacuation order while other parts of the San Bernardino County Mountain areas were under an evacuation warning due to mud and debris flow.
"San Bernardino County Fire is devastated that many families are unable to be home together this Christmas due to the ongoing impacts of this incident. Our hearts are with everyone affected, and our crews remain committed to supporting the community during this difficult time," the San Bernardino County Fire Department said in part in a social media post.
(San Bernardino County)
Flood Watch in LA and Ventura counties
FOX 11 Chief Meteorologist Adam Kruger said persistent rain is expected on Thursday, especially in LA and Ventura counties, which will see over an inch of rain, with some spots potentially getting over two inches. Friday could drop another inch for some areas.
A Flood Watch remains in effect for the two Southern California counties through 4 p.m. Friday, while the weather alert expired for Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties expired at 6 a.m. Thursday.
How much did it rain on Christmas Eve?
Kruger said Wednesday was very likely the heaviest wave of this whole event. Rain totals were especially high across the mountains, with several places measuring more than 6 inches and even over 8 inches in a few spots.