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Atmospheric River Triggers Evacuations as 'Very Dangerous' Christmas Storm Batters Southern California

Officials cite life-threatening flooding with severe debris-flow risk on recent burn scars.

Overview

  • Los Angeles ordered evacuations and issued warnings for hundreds of households, with reports ranging from more than 100 to about 380 addresses.
  • The National Weather Service put parts of Southern California on its highest flood alert and warned the storm could drop over 25–30 centimeters of rain with damaging winds.
  • Early effects included downed trees, closed roads and thousands without power, and a brief tornado warning for Los Angeles that was later canceled.
  • Pacific Palisades and Malibu face elevated risk of landslides and mudflows because slopes scorched by recent wildfires are highly unstable in heavy rain.
  • California pre-positioned millions of sandbags, opened emergency shelters and coordinated potential National Guard support as the system continues through the holiday period.