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Strong Thunderstorms, Mudslides Possible as 'Wettest Week' Begins
Photo by nicadlr via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
The rain came in a bit earlier than most expected it to yesterday afternoon, and lasted through the night. Now the National Weather Service has issued a special statement regarding the likelihood we'll face strong thunderstorms across Southwestern California this afternoon and tonight.This current frontal system is going to bring us heavy rain and scattered thunderstorms, some of which could produce small hail, wind gusts over 50 mph, and torrential downpours. This week is, in fact, expected to be so rainy that forecasters are pointing to our last extremely rain-soaked winter spell, prompting KTLA reporter Eric Spillman to quip on his Twitter feed this morning: "Wettest week in SoCal since 2005, according to forecast. Give me an oar."
It's not an oar that residents in the foothill communities in areas ravaged by last summer's Station Fire will need, but rather sandbags and cautious eyes on the tenuous hillsides that could come cascading down under the soaking. While residents in places like La Cañada-Flintridge have been preparing for mudslides since the last batches of heavy rains, "officials worry that residents may not be so lucky this time around," reports abc7. Now crews are watching the catch basins, area roads have been closed, and residents have been "encouraged to have all of their belongings packed and ready to go in the event they need to evacuate."
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