Overview
- The Weather Prediction Center placed parts of Southern California under a Level 4 of 4 high risk for excessive rainfall on Wednesday, with the National Weather Service warning of severe, widespread flash flooding.
- Multiple Flash Flood Warnings are active across Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties as rain falls at 0.5 to 1.25 inches per hour and totals have already reached 1.5 to more than 6 inches in spots.
- Evacuation orders and warnings target communities below the Palisades, Eaton and other burn scars, with door‑to‑door notifications and a Los Angeles County shelter opened for residents.
- Early impacts include road flooding, downed trees and tens of thousands without power statewide, and Disneyland and Disney California Adventure shortened Wednesday hours due to the storm.
- Forecasters expect another surge of heavy rain and strong winds through Christmas along with feet of Sierra Nevada snow that could shut down mountain passes, including stretches of I‑80 over Donner Pass.