E-Paper
Los Angeles state of emergency: Updated tornado, flash floods and storm map; multiple roads closed on Christmas
Los Angeles weather update: A tornado, flash flood and several storm warnings were active across Ventura and Los Angeles counties on Wednesday
Los Angeles weather update: A tornado, flash flood and several storm warnings were active across Ventura and Los Angeles counties on Wednesday, with emergency officials issuing repeated notices about rapidly changing road conditions.
The National Weather Service (NWS) said it expected widespread rain to persist through Wednesday and linger into Friday, with several inches possible across portions of the region. On Christmas Eve, forecasters placed parts of Southern California under a high risk for excessive rainfall, including communities such as Burbank, Altadena, Glendale, Santa Clarita, Thousand Oaks and areas near San Bernardino.
Authorities further stated that the combination of saturated hillsides, gusty winds and swollen waterways could trigger debris flows and prompt additional evacuations in hillside neighborhoods. Residents in at-risk zones are being urged to stay alert, avoid non-essential travel and heed local evacuation guidance.
Governor Gavin Newsom, meanwhile, declared a state of emergency. “With atmospheric rivers, intense rainfall, and strong winds ahead, I’m declaring a state of emergency in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Shasta counties to activate emergency authorities and preposition resources to keep our communities safe,” he said on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.
Major closures and storm alerts
Angeles Crest Highway shut down:
A stretch of Angeles Crest Highway north of La Cañada Flintridge has been closed up to the Clear Creek Information Station due to unsafe conditions. Deputies urged drivers to choose alternate routes and warned that attempts to bypass closure points endanger both motorists and first responders.
Tornado warning briefly issued in east-central LA County:
Communities including Alhambra, Pasadena, Monterey Park, San Gabriel, El Monte and Temple City were placed under a Tornado Warning earlier in the morning. Although the alert was canceled around 10:40 AM local time, damaging winds remain possible under an ongoing Severe Thunderstorm Warning.
Power outages reported across the region:
Thousands of customers in the San Fernando Valley and West LA are without electricity, according to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Crews are responding to scattered outages, while Southern California Edison is also reporting smaller disruptions in Los Angeles and Orange counties.
Thunderstorm and flash-flood alerts expanded:
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has covered parts of Ventura and northwestern Los Angeles counties, with wind gusts near 60 mph and reports of downed trees and roof damage. Impacted areas include Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Camarillo, Malibu, Woodland Hills, Santa Clarita and Sylmar.
Meanwhile, a Flash Flood Warning remains in effect for sections of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, including the Eaton Fire burn area, where debris flows are most likely if rainfall intensifies.
Updated LA weather map
When did it last rain on Christmas in Los Angeles?
Christmas rain is unusual in Southern California’s weather history. Since 1892, measurable rain has fallen on Christmas Day only 46 times, roughly one-third of the past 125 years. The last notably wet Christmas came in 2017, when nearly an inch fell in Los Angeles.
Officials continue to stress that conditions may change with little warning as the storm evolves. Drivers are advised to remain off mountain and canyon roads where flooding, rockfall and mudslides are most likely.
