Atmospheric River Causes Flash Floods in LA County

 After an extremely wet Sunday, rain will continue to fall on Southern California for the next few days. 

In what the National Weather Service has described as “one of the most dramatic weather days in recent memory,” the storm has already brought flash floods, mudslides, and evacuation orders to the region. 

The Rain

The storm is expected to drop between 3 to 6 inches of rain in coastal and valley regions, while the mountains will experience up to a foot of rain. 

In LA County, the rain is accompanied by winds of up to 50mph. 

Sunday’s rainfall broke multiple records in Southern California including: 

• 4.10 inches in Downtown Los Angeles, breaking the 1927 record of 2.55 inches 
• 1.76 inches at LAX, breaking the 1958 record of 0.58 inches 
• 1.50 inches at Long Beach Airport, breaking the 1975 record of 0.69 inches 

Those living in Southern California are being advised to stay home and to avoid deep water if they are driving. 

The Effects

The atmospheric river that is dropping rain on Southern California has caused numerous advisory messages to be released, including a State of Emergency from Governor Newsom. 

There have been multiple flash flood warnings across LA County with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration calling the situation “high risk.” That is the highest flooding warning the agency can use and is only used in very serious situations. 

In total, 1.4 million Angelenos were under a flash flood warning. 

In the Hollywood Hills, mudslides occurred and landslide warnings were in effect. All across West LA, small mudslides and flash flooding occurred. 

What Can You Do? 

With rain expected to last until Tuesday, there will likely be more flash flooding and damage to infrastructure to occur. 

As a result, many will require restoration to deal with the water damage that the atmospheric river has caused to homes and commercial buildings. 

To find a vendor that performs restoration from water damage, you can access BOMA’s membership directory by clicking here. 

After logging in, you will have access to many companies that provide this service. 

We’ll make sure to keep you updated on the storm, and the effects it has on Los Angeles. 

Until then, keep up with BOMA on the Frontline for the latest news in the Greater Los Angeles area.