A powerful winter storm threatens Southern California, prompting widespread evacuation warnings due to fears of life-threatening flash flooding and debris flows in burn scar areas. The warnings come as a statewide response mobilizes to protect against flooding and mitigate the storm's impact. Heavy snow is also expected in the Western states, with hazardous travel conditions anticipated.
Southern California braced for its most powerful winter storm of the season, prompting the city of Los Angeles to issue evacuation warnings for thousands of residents on Thursday. The warnings, effective from 7 a.m. PT (10 a.m. ET) until Friday afternoon, target areas scarred by recent wildfires, including those affected by the Palisades, Eaton, Hurst, Franklin, Bridge, and Sunset fires.
While these warnings aren't currently enforceable orders, the Los Angeles Fire Department stated that firefighters would visit 'high-risk' houses in these areas and provide specific evacuation instructions. Widespread mandatory evacuations could be implemented depending on the storm's progression. The National Weather Service anticipates widespread flash flooding across the region, particularly in urban areas and burn scar zones. The agency emphasized the life-threatening risk of flash flooding in burn scar regions, urging residents in these areas to heed local officials' warnings. A statewide response has been mobilized, deploying nearly 120 miles of barriers throughout Southern California to mitigate flooding and prevent rain runoff and debris from burn scars from entering rivers and lakes. This extensive operation involves 319,000 sandbags, over 240 fire engines, and 400 personnel across eight counties. Public workers have been diligently clearing drains and distributing sandbags to residents. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna addressed a news conference Wednesday, urging residents to prepare for potential evacuations and anticipate being away from their homes for multiple days. He cautioned, 'Remember, if you're ordered to leave, you may be gone for several days. I cannot stand up here and tell you will be gone for 12 hours, 24 hours. We don't know. It depends on the weather and the post-weather events that will impact your specific neighborhood.'A growing concern is the large number of unhoused individuals in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, many of whom reside in high-risk areas. These individuals have been warned and urged to relocate. Sheriff Luna highlighted the dangers of past flash flood incidents, stating, 'Unfortunately, we witnessed numerous, numerous instances in the past of swift-water rescues where people were caught in dangerous, fast-moving water, and obviously, we want to prevent that.' Meanwhile, heavy snow is anticipated to sweep across Western states Thursday and Friday, with the heaviest accumulations projected in the Sierra Nevada, where 6 to 8 feet of snow is expected. Travel in the Sierra Nevada and mountainous regions of western Colorado and Utah will become hazardous. The Pacific Northwest also faces risks of freezing rain, with 0.1 inches of ice accumulation expected Thursday. The Arctic weather system currently affecting the central and southern Plains will move eastward and into the Atlantic on Saturday. Temperatures remain frigid in some regions, reaching 15 to 25 degrees below seasonal averages in the Mississippi Valley and the Plains. An extreme cold warning remains in effect over much of North Dakota. As of Thursday morning, almost 200,000 energy customers were without power across the East Coast and mid-Atlantic due to the ongoing cold snap.
WINTR STORM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EVACUATION WARNINGS FLASH FLOODING BURN SCARS WILDFIRES HEAVY SNOW WESTERN STATES
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