Damaging Storm Starts To Finally Leave Southern California As Repairs Get Underway

The storm system that has battered Southern California for days is expected to finally move out of the region today, but officials are warning people not to let their guard down — landslides will remain a threat and roads have been left severe damages in some areas.

The atmospheric river earlier this month had already left the ground saturated before this latest storm rolled in with moderate and sometimes heavy showers, further weakening hillsides and eroding coastlines. The recent rain also accelerated land movement in Rancho Palos Verdes, where dozens of homes were already at risk of being destroyed.

L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn this week urged Gov. Gavin Newsom to visit Rancho Palos Verdes, where she said sights of buckling streets and houses are worthy of an emergency declaration. The famed Wayfarers Chapel announced last week it would close to the public because of similar land movement. City officials there will now formally ask for an emergency declaration.

Landslide conditions continue on the Palos Verdes peninsula on Tuesday as heavy rains were expected to continue throughout the day.

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Yusra Farzan

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LAist

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When will we see the sun again?

The storm is expected to move out of the region later Wednesday morning, which means we could get some sunshine by the afternoon. That said, most of L.A. County is under a flood watch through 10 a.m.

National Weather Service meteorologist Joe Sirard said a few isolated showers might stick around, but otherwise it’s looking dry and mild into Saturday.

“So actually pretty nice weather coming up, a little bit of a break in the rain,” he said.

Forecasters are "somewhat concerned" about another possible rain event coming late in the weekend into early next week, he said. As of now, it looks like that system will bring less than an inch of rain, but Sirard said there’s still some flooding concerns with it hitting so close to the more recent storms.

Impacts

The city of L.A. alone reported dozens of fallen trees and branches, as well as flooding incidents, including blockages of catch basins and storm drains. More than 30 debris and mudflows were also reported.

All L.A. County beaches are under an ocean water quality rain advisory until at least 5 a.m. Friday.

The Department of Public Health is warning people to avoid all contact with the water, especially around storm drains, creeks, and rivers — it could make you sick. The water may be contaminated with bacteria, chemicals, trash, and other public health hazards that wash off the city streets in a storm.

The advisory will be in effect for 72 hours after the rain ends, so it could end up being extended. The Inner Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro is still closed after a sewage spill from the last storm.

People walk next to a sand berm built by the city of Long Beach in preparation for high tide along the Peninsula on Feb. 19, 2024.

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Damian Dovarganes

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AP

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Dangerous rip currents and high surf also remain an issue. People are encouraged to stay out of the water and stay away from rocks. If you still want to go in the ocean, be near an occupied lifeguard tower.

The storm system has so far dumped between 1.5 and 4 inches of rain on most areas in region, but some spots, like Topanga, got around 6 inches.

Evacuations and closures

Los Angeles County

According to the National Weather Service, as of Wednesday it's officially the fourth wettest February ever recorded in Downtown Los Angeles.

Other reports of damage for L.A. and Ventura counties include:

• A big sinkhole has shut down the off-ramp at the Skirball Center/Mulholland Drive exit until further notice.
• PCH between Sycamore Canyon Road to Las Posas Road in Ventura County was closed overnight in both directions from at least 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. or later due to erosion.
• State Route 150 is down to one lane of traffic three miles north of Santa Paula until further notice, causing delays.
• At Emma Woods State Beach north of the city of Ventura, the 101 Freeway northbound offramp, and southbound onramp, was closed.
• Mulholland Drive was closed between Skyline Drive and Bowmont Drive.
• L.A. County sheriff's officials said all lanes of PCH between Corral Canyon Road to Latigo Canyon Road were closed Wednesday due to landslide activity.

What you should be on the lookout for

Residents in mountain, canyon, and coastal areas should prepare for debris flows and flooding over the next week.

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

Are we capturing any of this water?

In December, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted to adopt a long-term stormwater capture plan, that includes cleaning up groundwater, improving drinking water quality, expanding the use of recycled water, and using better messaging around water conservation.

In the interim, there are many places around Los Angeles County designed to help capture stormwater, but a lot of rainwater still ends up in the ocean.

How we're reporting on this

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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