Unprecedented Storm from 'Atmospheric River'; Flooding, Mudslides, Evacuations, and Power Outages in California

A powerful storm triggered by the weather phenomenon known as an 'atmospheric river' caused widespread flooding and power outages in Southern California on Monday, February 5. According to the Associated Press, the intensity of this storm led to evacuation orders for homes and school closures in some areas of the state. Approximately 1.4 million people in the Los Angeles area, including Hollywood and Beverly Hills, were under flash flood warnings on Monday morning. The National Weather Service described the flash flooding and mudslide risks as 'very dangerous' and reported that up to 23 centimeters of rain had fallen in the area, with expectations for more. The previous record for rainfall was 6.48 centimeters, set in 1927. February 5 was also recorded as the wettest day in February for downtown Los Angeles, marking the tenth wettest day since records began in 1877. This powerful storm began a day earlier, on February 4, in Northern California and the San Francisco Bay Area, flooding streets and downing trees and power lines throughout the bay. Wind speeds reached up to 96 kilometers per hour in some areas, with gusts exceeding 128 kilometers per hour recorded in the northern California mountains. According to reports from citizens to power companies, over 543,000 customers were without electricity across California on Monday morning. The weather service warned that winds of up to 148 kilometers per hour would affect the central coast of the state, from the Monterey Peninsula to the northern part of San Luis Obispo County. Evacuation orders and warnings were issued for mountainous and valley areas in Monterey, Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Los Angeles counties. Lindsey Horvath, the Los Angeles city supervisor, urged residents near burned areas in the Topanga and Soledad valleys to heed evacuation orders due to potential mudslides. Horvath stated in a briefing on Sunday, 'If you haven't left already, please gather your family, pets, and medications and leave immediately.' Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for the cities of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura. The state emergency services office activated its operations center and deployed personnel and equipment to areas most at risk. The weather service predicted that by Tuesday, February 6, rainfall in coastal and valley areas of Southern California could reach 20 centimeters, and in foothills and mountains, up to 35 centimeters. Atmospheric rivers are relatively narrow bands of moisture that form over an ocean and can produce significant rainfall when they move over land. Heavy snow and freezing conditions across various parts of the U.S. have claimed at least 55 lives, with ice storms in the Pacific Northwest and severe waves along California's coast causing flooding and mandatory evacuations.