A powerful Pacific storm is bringing the threat of life-threatening flooding, dangerous debris flows, and power outages to much of Southern California through Sunday.A flood watch remains in effect for the Los Angeles area until Saturday night, with continued rain expected into Sunday keeping the ground saturated and vulnerable.
The storm poses a particularly high risk to areas recently burned by wildfires, where vegetation loss and altered soil conditions dramatically increase the potential for landslides and debris flows. Evacuation orders are currently in effect for portions of the palisades, Hurst, and Sunset areas, and the National Weather Service (NWS) has warned that the Eaton and Bridge areas also face a meaningful threat.
The NWS warns the storm could cause dangerous debris flows, power outages and road flooding. Areas affected by recent forest fires are particularly vulnerable to landslides and debris flows because wildfires destroy vegetation that normally absorbs rainfall and the extreme heat can create an impermeable layer beneath the soil surface.
Evacuation orders are in effect through sunday morning for parts of the Palisades,Hurst and Sunset areas,but these are not the only locations at risk. The NWS in Los Angeles cautioned Friday that parts of the Eaton and Bridge areas also pose a high threat of “significant” debris flows.
while the heaviest rainfall is expected to subside by the end of Saturday, the risk will not immediately dissipate. Lingering rain through sunday, combined with already saturated ground, means even minor rainfall could trigger flooding and hazardous road conditions, particularly in areas with poor drainage.
