Storm Losing Steam, Forecasters Say

0

More rain is expected in Southern California Tuesday, but forecasters said the weather that triggered mudslides and tornadoes, washed away roads and runways, and left at least nine dead should continue to improve in the days ahead as the system loses steam.


Despite brief glimpses of sun, a flash flood watch remained in effect across much of Southern California on Tuesday. And a tornado warning has been issued for coastal areas.


Persistent rain since last week has flooded freeways and sent mud charging into homes. There have been landslides, avalanches and even tornado funnels.


Dozens of homes have been declared unsafe because of the threat from sliding hillsides. In Highland Park, four more homes were red-tagged after midnight on Tuesday.


Caltrans said Palmdale Boulevard (Highway 138) was closed to through traffic in both directions from the Golden State Freeway (I-5) to the Antelope Valley Freeway because of mud and debris from the storm.


Both lanes of Malibu Canyon Road were shut down due to a major rockslide that could take days to clean up. The rockslide covers both lanes and is about 100 feet wide. And Pacific Coast Highway is closed in both directions from Big Rock Drive to Las Flores Canyon and from Topanga Canyon Road to Big Rock Drive, Caltrans said.


Some areas have received as much as 6.5 inches of rain. In Los Angeles, and a section of the Hollywood (101) Freeway near Santa Monica Boulevard was shut down for several hours Monday night when lanes were flooded by water up to five feet deep, trapping many drivers and backing traffic up for miles in both directions. Crews cleared the roadway, and the freeway was reopened by 11:30 p.m.


The California Highway Patrol reported more than 300 crashes in a 14-hour period in Southern California, compared with 50 to 75 accidents on a normal, dry day.


Mudslides forced Amtrak officials to suspend service from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara at least through Tuesday.


A total of 31.4 inches of rain has fallen since the rainy season began on July 1, making it the fifth wettest season on record. The record, 38.18 inches, was set in 1883 to1884.


The rains are expected to continue moving northwest from Los Angeles, toward Santa Barbara County, and eastward toward San Bernardino County.

No posts to display