Overview
- The Weather Prediction Center placed parts of Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Bernardino counties under a Level 4 of 4 flood risk, with the National Weather Service warning of severe, widespread flash flooding.
- Flash Flood Warnings covered large swaths of the region with rainfall rates up to about 1 to 1.25 inches per hour, and officials reported significant flooding, landslides and debris flows in multiple locations.
- Evacuation orders and warnings targeted high‑risk burn‑scar zones, with law enforcement conducting door‑to‑door notifications to hundreds of vulnerable homes across several Southern California counties.
- Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency and agencies opened shelters and deployed barriers and sandbags as strong winds toppled trees and left more than 140,000 customers without power.
- Forecasters expect a second surge of heavy rain and gusty winds on Christmas Day through Friday, while feet of Sierra Nevada snow threaten whiteout conditions and hazardous mountain travel.