Officials Report Progress On Storm Recovery But Warn Of Long Road Ahead

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• Dangers Of Landslides Remain After Record-Breaking Storms Leave The Southland Saturated

Los Angeles officials on Tuesday reported some progress in responding to the two atmospheric storms that have left the Southland saturated and still at risk of debris flows.

The pair of record-breaking storms have shut down roads, forced mandatory evacuations and severely damaged property in landslides and debris flows.

And while the worst of the storm system had passed, they warned the region has a ways to go in terms of clean up and recovery.

"The road to recovery may be long and it requires an all hands approach," L.A. City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said at a news conference Tuesday evening. "We will rebuild, we will recover, and we will emerge stronger."

Mayor Karen Bass said she was preparing official requests for assistance from state and federal officials.

Power has been reported to 59,000 L.A. customers, with just over 6,600 customers remaining with lights out, mainly because of a downed tree in Brentwood.

As of Tuesday evening, Crowley said the following had been recorded in L.A.:

• 475 mudslides
• 390 fallen trees
• Multiple successful water rescues
• 12 structure fires
• 919 catch basin and storm water systems cleared
• 441 reports of potholes recorded

From around 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday, forecasters said they were expecting another burst of rain, which could prove perilous for already saturated ground.

Expect more flooding, downed trees, debris flows and other hazards as the storm system slowly makes it way southeast.

Rain and thunderstorms will be sticking around a bit longer.

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National Weather Service in Oxnard

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Mud and rock slides were especially prevalent along mountain areas that got hit by the historically heavy rain.

At around 9 p.m. Sunday, 16 residents were evacuated from nine Studio City homes after a mudslide damaged two structures on Lockridge Road. And L.A. firefighters evacuated people from at least three homes affected by debris flows on West Boris Drive in Tarzana. A landslide on Beverly Crest damaged at least six homes, forcing the evacuation of 15 people.

Culver City issued an evacuation warning for residents in Culver Crest as mudflows were reported on Cranks road and Flaxton street. At noon on Tuesday, Hacienda Road in La Habra heights was closed due to an active debris flow moving through the town.

In Santa Barbara, officials evacuated an estimated 40 people from apartment buildings due to cliff erosion.

A view of mudslide damage in Los Angeles, California.

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There should be a lull in the rain Wednesday morning before the region has to deal with a bit more storm activity through Thursday.

A flash flood warning will likely remain in effect until Wednesday afternoon from the Santa Monica Mountains to the Hollywood Hills and Griffith Park, as well as the adjacent foothills, the cities of Malibu and and Beverly Hills and the Santa Monica Mountains in southeastern Ventura County.

About that rainfall

"This has truly been a historic storm for Los Angeles," said Ariel Cohen, meteorologist in charge at the National Weather Service in Oxnard, who pointed out that this has been the third wettest two-day stretch for the city since they started keeping records back in the 1870s.

People view the Los Angeles River swollen by storm runoff as a powerful long-duration atmospheric river storm, the second in less than a week, continues to impact Southern California on February 5, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.

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While on Monday, downtown L.A. saw 4.1 inches of rain — breaking the previous daily rainfall record of 2.55 inches set in 1927 — stations across the Santa Monica Mountains are where the real intense rainfall was centered.

Three-day rainfall totals as of noon Tuesday:

• Bel Air: 12.32 inches
• Sepulveda Canyon at Mulholland: 12.01
• Topanga: 11.95 inches
• Woodland Hills: 11.70 inches
• Mt. Baldy: 9.37 inches
• Santa Fe Dam: 8.61
• Downtown L.A.: 8.13 inches
• Hollywood Reservoir: 7.47 inches
• Santa Monica: 6.79 inches
• Santa Barbara: 5.42 inches
• Saticoy: 5.08 inches

To put those rainfall totals in perspective, the average annual rainfall for L.A. is usually around 14 inches or so.

Don't be surprised if more records fall.

Flood watches and warnings are in place from Santa Barbara to San Diego counties through Tuesday as hazards remain.

Long, sustained periods of rain are characteristic of El Niño storms. Warmer than normal waters off the coast — often associated with the climate phenomenon — are juicing our recent storms by sending more heat and water into the atmosphere.

Reports of landslides

Mud inundates parts of the Hollywood Hills on Monday. Another day of steady rain is forecast Tuesday.

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It's not uncommon for rocks and mud to flow off steep hillsides and onto roads during heavy rains. And debris flows were reported across the region over the past several days. Additional incidents are possible.

Overview of notable incidents as of Tuesday morning:

• Studio City: Two homes damaged by mudflow, with a total of 16 residents evacuated from nine homes.
• Tarzana: Three homes damaged by a mudflow and two people evacuated from a home.
• Beverly Crest: Seven homes have been damaged by debris flow and 15 people were evacuated.
• Palos Verdes: Eastbound Palos Verdes Drive south is closed due to mud.
• Culver City: An evacuation warning has been issued for residents of the Culver Crest area after mudflows were seen behind multiple homes.
• La Habra Heights: Hazardous levels of mud were reported along Hacienda Road at noon on Tuesday.

Coastal erosion

On Tuesday morning, Santa Barbara County officials evacuated approximately 40 people from four apartment buildings in the beachside college town of Isla Vista. Residents were later allowed to return with some of the property cordoned off.

County public information officer Jackie Ruiz said officials were concerned that the columns holding up the structures could give way because of cliff erosion below the buildings.

She said no other evacuations had been issued in the area, and that safety and planning officials were assessing damages to the buildings to determine needed repairs.

Up in the mountains

So far, snow levels have been relatively high, mostly above 5,500 feet.

Winter storm warnings are in effect in both the Angeles and San Bernardino National Forests until late Tuesday night.

Snowfall totals as of 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday:

• Mountain High: 24 inches at 7,000 feet
• Mountain Baldy: 24 inches at 7,8000 feet
• Snow Valley: 17 inches at 7,000 feet
• Bear Mountain: 17 inches at 7,000 feet
• Wrightwood: 2 inches at 5,900 feet.

Higher mountain peaks like San Jacinto (10,834 feet) could get around 1 to 3 feet of snow, while Mt. San Antonio (10,064 feet) could see 4 to 6 feet.

The eastern San Gabriel mountains and the San Bernardino County mountains are under a winter storm warning until 10 p.m. Tuesday for areas above 6,000 feet.

Travel is expected to be difficult, if not impossible. Higher mountains could see winds up to 70 mph, which can damage trees and knock them onto roadways. If you must head in or around these areas, pack emergency supplies in your car just in case.

The Mount Wilson observatory closed Saturday until further notice because of the weather. Mountain High Resort will reopen today starting at 9 a.m.

The Angeles National Forest is urging people to stay away from the area at least for the next few days. Very hazardous conditions are expected, including heavy rain, fast-moving landslides, snow, and flooding.

What's up with the L.A. River?

Social media has been inundated with videos of the Los Angeles River gushing with water as historic rains pummel Southern California.

Jon Sweeten, a reservoir regulation engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District, said videos of the river seemingly on the verge of overflowing shouldn't necessarily be cause for alarm.

“People see a lot of water in a channel that they see that's normally dry and they go, ‘Oh my goodness, there's a lot of water,’” he said. “That's just the channel operating in the way it was designed.”

The system, Sweeten added, “is designed to hold some of the water behind the dams and release it into concrete line channels that will convey the flow very effectively to the ocean.”

Since the 51 miles of river pass through different cities, at the time the infrastructure was built, municipalities were responsible for building bridges within their respective boundaries. At the time, local officials pushed for a narrower river, so that it would be cheaper to build the bridges while also preserving more land for development.

“In order to make the system work well, they designed it so that it flowed very fast so — the system flows much faster than a natural stream would flow,” Sweeten said. “Which is why it's dangerous for people to stand on the concrete in the L.A. River, because water up to your ankle is capable of knocking you off your feet.”

Sewage spills

Avoid fecal coliform bacteria and all sorts of nasty chemicals by not going into the ocean during or right after it rains.

It's a notion that holds doubly true for Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro, and every swimming area in Long Beach, as an estimated 8 million gallons of sewage have flowed down into the water.

A sanitation department spokesperson said sewer systems were so overwhelmed by rain that they backed up and spilled out into the Dominguez Channel, which leads to the Port of Long Beach, and into Compton Creek, which flows into the L.A. River.

An additional 40,000 gallons of sewage are also estimated to have spilled into the L.A. River following a backup in Commerce.

Public health officials advise people to wait at least 72 hours after significant rainfall to go into the ocean water.

More information on the spills can be found here.

Evacuations

Multiple evacuation orders and warnings for L.A., Ventura and Santa Barbara counties have been canceled, though it's possible as the storm progresses that additional alerts will be issued.

Los Angeles County

• Topanga Canyon: Evacuation order and warning issued for the area around Santa Maria Road in the Owen Fire burn scar.
• Soledad Canyon: Evacuation warning issued for the Agua Fire Burn scar east of Acton.
• Juniper Hills: Evacuation warning issued for Juniper Hills and Valyermo area.
• San Gabriel Mountains: Evacuation warnings are in effect for areas near the Bobcat Fire (north end) and Lake Fire burn scars.
• Duarte: Evacuation warning is in effect for the area in the Fish Fire burn scar.
• Culver City: Evacuation warning in effect through 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday for areas of Culver City’s Upper Crest area due to potential mud or debris flows. The city is asking people who live above, below, or adjacent to a hillside in or below the Upper Crest neighborhood to take extra precautions.
• Warnings and orders will likely remain in place until 6 p.m. Tuesday. More info about above incidents is here.

Orange County

• A voluntary evacuation warning was issued for Irvine Lake, Black Star and Baker Canyon, Silverado Canyon, Williams Canyon, Modjeska Canyon, Live Oak and North Traduce Canyon, and Traduce, Rose, and Holy Jim Canyons.
• Canyon residents were strongly encouraged to prepare and voluntarily evacuate on Sunday, especially those with disabilities, access and/or functional needs, and canyon residents with large animals.
• More info here.
  

San Bernardino County and Riverside County

• Evacuation warning issued due to potential mud and debris flow in the El Dorado and Apple fire burn scars.

Schools

• Los Angeles Unified School District announced that all schools will be open on Tuesday with the exception of Topanga Elementary Charter and Vinedale College Preparatory Academy. Topanga students may report to Woodland Hills Academy while Vinedale students may report to Glenwood Elementary School.
• Santa Monica schools are open Tuesday; Malibu schools are closed.
• Long Beach Unified schools are open Tuesday.
• Santa Barbara Unified school district reopened on Tuesday.

About 62% of LAUSD students attended school on Monday. In a statement issued later that evening, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said close to 90% of teachers made it in as well.

The superintendent also noted some bus delays but said more than 90% of bus drivers reported to work and all routes were eventually completed. One bus had a breakdown that delayed students for an hour and a half.

LAist has asked the district for more details on that incident and how it's accommodating Vineland and Topanga elementary school students.

Road closures

In short, it's a mess.

Rockslides, mudslides, flooding and snow have inundated roads from Ventura to San Bernardino.

Check in with your local department of transportation for the latest updates:

• Caltrans (best for highway and mountain conditions)
• L.A. County
• L.A. City
• Ventura County
• Santa Barbara County
• Riverside County
• San Bernardino County

Universities

• UCLA- Normal operations. Classes will occur as usual
• USC- Normal operations. Classes will occur as usual
• In person classes have resumed at Cal State Fullerton.
• UC Santa Barbara campuses are set to reopen Tuesday.
• Cal State Long Beach said it expects normal operations and classes to resume on Tuesday.
• Cal Poly Pomona returns to normal campus operations Tuesday.
• Cal State Northridge also resumes campus operations Tuesday.

Emergency proclamations and preparation

L.A. County issued an emergency proclamation Sunday night. Supervisors said that move aligned the county with the state's emergency order and would make it easier to act quickly to deploy resources.

In, L.A., Mayor Bass declared a local state of emergency on Monday.

San Bernardino County also declared a state of emergency Sunday night in anticipation of extreme rain and snow expected through Wednesday.

A man and his dog were rescued from the Pacoima Wash near Foothill Boulevard via helicopter after he jumped into the water after his pet. LAFD Fire Chief Kristen Crowley said both the man and the dog are safe.

Bass said more than 100 unhoused people had to be evacuated from a tiny home complex. She added that they’re being moved into a nearby shelter that wasn’t being used, but now will be “instantly” filled.

Bass also answered a call from President Joe Biden toward the end of Monday’s news conference and held the phone up to the microphone so he could speak to the people of Los Angeles.

“We’ll get any help on the way as soon as you guys request it, so just let me know,” Biden said.

More ahead

Residents in mountain, canyon and coastal areas should prepare for the risk of debris flows and flooding to remain at least through Tuesday.

Those in landslide prone areas like the Palos Verdes Peninsula should be on the lookout for indications of land movement, including the formation of new cracks, the fracturing of underground utilities, doors and windows falling out of plumb and sounds of creaks and groans coming from the ground.

Sandbags are available at all Los Angeles Fire Department locations. Sand is also available at select other locations, and updates on availability can be checked here.

Los Angeles County Fire Department locations also have sandbags and sand.

Sand and sandbags are available at these locations in Orange County.

Understanding National Weather Service warnings

Here’s an excerpt from our guide to understanding flood warnings, if any are issued:

• Flood advisories are how the NWS begins to raise the alarm. The goal is to give people enough time to take action.
• Flood watches are your indicators to get prepared to move.
• A flood warning is issued when a hazardous weather event is imminent or already happening. When one is issued for your area, you need to get to higher ground immediately.
• A flash flood warning is issued when a flash flood is coming or in progress. Flash floods are sudden and violent floods that can start within minutes.

Read more: Flash Flood Warnings? Watches? Here’s What You Need To Know

Tips for driving in the rain

Advice on driving in the rain:

• Check weather and road conditions all along your planned route
• Slow down
• Keep a wider-than-usual distance between your vehicle and the one in front
• Don't drive through standing water — as little as 12 inches of rushing water can carry away most cars, and two feet can carry away SUVs and trucks.
• Make sure tires are fully inflated
• Check windshield wiper blades and replace if necessary

Read more: What You Should Do If You End Up Driving In A Flooded Area

Downed tree, power line or flooded road?

Dial 911 if it's an emergency.

However, if you need to report a flooded road or a downed tree, you can call the following non-emergency numbers:

• L.A. City: Dial 311 for a flooded road or downed tree. Call (800) DIAL-DWP if you see a downed power line.
• L.A. County: (800) 675-HELP
• Ventura County: (805) 384-1500
• Orange County: (714) 955-0200 or visit here.

If you're in L.A. County and need sand bags you can find some at local fire houses.

Staying safe when the winds are high

• Watch for traffic signals that may be out. Approach those intersections as four-way stops.
• Make sure you have a battery-operated radio and flashlights. Check the batteries to make sure they are fresh. Use flashlights for lighting during a power outage; do not use candles because they may pose a significant fire hazard.
• If you’re in a vehicle with a fallen power line on it, stay in the vehicle and remain calm until help arrives. It is OK to use your cellphone to call 911. If you must leave the vehicle, remember to exit away from downed power lines and exit by jumping from the vehicle and landing with both feet together. You must not touch the vehicle and the ground at the same time. Then proceed away from the vehicle by shuffling and not picking up your feet until you are several yards away. 
• Water and electricity don’t mix. Water is an excellent conductor of electricity. Do not step in or enter any water that a downed power line may be touching.
• Do not use any equipment inside that is designed for outdoor heating or cooking. Such equipment can emit carbon monoxide and other toxic gases.
• If you use a generator, place it outdoors and plug individual appliances directly into it, using a heavy-duty extension cord. Connecting generators directly to household circuits creates “backfeed,” which is dangerous to repair crews.
• Leave the doors of your refrigerator and freezer closed to keep food as fresh as possible. Place blocks of ice inside to help keep food cold. Check food carefully for signs of spoilage. 
• Check on your neighbors to make sure everyone is safe.

Tips on staying warm

• State law requires residential units to have heating systems that can keep indoor temperatures at a minimum of 70 degrees. That means every dwelling unit and guest room offered for rent or lease should offer heating equipment, usually central air conditioning (A/C) or a wall heater. — Caitlin Hernández
• Use heat smartly to save money: Cranking things like the A/C and wall heaters can be expensive. If money is tight, be judicious about how and when you use your utilities. For example, only use heaters at night or only set the thermostat to around 70 degrees.
• Open and close those vents: If you have central A/C, look at where the vents are around your home. Are any open in places where you don’t stay long? Practice opening and closing those so warm air only goes where you need it (most vents should have a small toggle lever). Humidifiers can also help you warm things up — and it’s useful to add moisture into our dry air.
• Adjust your wall heaters: If you have a wall heater, you can change the output by adjusting the knob (usually at the bottom). Since wall heaters can only warm the areas where they’re placed, it’s essential to close doors to rooms you won’t be in so hot air doesn’t get wasted.
• Turn on your ceiling fan (really): If you have a ceiling fan, try turning it on. This sounds counterintuitive, but there’s science behind it. The direction a fan turns can push air in different directions, and since hot air floats up, you’ll want to move that around. Your fan should spin clockwise to create an updraft to circulate. Not all fans will have this option, though.
  

Sign up for emergency alerts

• L.A. City: Notify L.A.
• L.A. County: Ready L.A. County
• Ventura County: Ready Ventura County
• Orange County: AlertOC
• Riverside County: AlertRivCo

How we're reporting on this

George Kiriyama, a senior editor, is tracking the storm and adding updates along with Kevin Tidmarsh, a producer, and Fiona Ng, LAist's weekend editor. Other LAist staff members, including host Sharon McNary and associate producer Gillian Morán Pérez
also kept a close eye, while other members of the newsroom have been keeping watch during the week.

This is a developing story. We fact check everything and rely only on information from credible sources (think fire, police, government officials and reporters on the ground). Sometimes, however, we make mistakes and/or initial reports turn out to be wrong. In all cases, we strive to bring you the most accurate information in real time and will update this story as new information becomes available.

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