Massive storm to lash Southern California with three days of rain and snow; flooding in LA, Ventura, Santa Barbara counties, and San Diego
Noon
Floods to remain in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains for a third day
* At least one death due to flooding
* Flooding on Highway 101 in the South Bay
The National Weather Service issued red advisories for about 75 percent of the state on Tuesday evening after heavy rain and snow caused serious flooding in Ventura, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and San Diego counties.
Flooding will continue on and off into the early hours early Wednesday morning.
The heavy rain and snow is expected to continue all day Wednesday, with as much as 8 inches expected in the mountains.
More than a foot of rain fell in the mountains on Monday.
The rain comes after another round of heavy rain on Sunday, with nearly a third the maximum amount of precipitation falling in Southern California in just two days.
Officials are concerned about the potential for even more flooding because the rains and snow are already over the region.
In addition to the heavy rain and snow, wind gusts will be blowing in from the north, northwest, northeast and southeast through Wednesday morning.
Winds will slow down Wednesday morning and Wednesday afternoon, before picking up again Sunday night.
It will be extremely windy again Monday, with gusts in excess of 70 mph.
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood outlook for Santa Barbara County for Tuesday morning that called for a high of 82, followed by a low of 75.
NWS forecast models showed the same general low-pressure system at a high pressure cell in the area, prompting concerns that the system may become a tropical system and send more rain to Southern California. However, the models were unable to forecast the rain and snow.
WTOP’s Mary Bowerman reports from Mission Regional Medical Center:
“One of our medical helicopters landed on the roof of this facility and had to wait for another helicopter to come pick him up,” said Mission Hospital Emergency Center Director Dennis Moore. “We got him onto the helicopter, but he was very weak and had to be taken to the hospital emergency room. He was very fortunate he wasn’t a patient on the floor.”
