Over 20 Million Under Flood Alerts as Threat Grows: California Braces for Impact

Over 20 Million Under Flood Alerts as Threat Grows: A lot of people are getting ready to travel for the holidays, but heavy rain, snow, and strong winds may make it take longer for Californians to get on the roads and in the air over the next few days.

The city of Los Angeles and more than 20 million other people in Southern California are under a flood watch because of an air river that could cause flooding and mudslides.

Over 20 Million Under Flood Alerts as Threat Grows: California Braces for Impact

After a storm hit California on Tuesday, another one will move across the Golden State from Wednesday to Friday.

The Los Angeles office of the National Weather Service said that on Wednesday and Friday, a stronger storm will bring several hours of steady moderate to heavy rain and high winds. There is a chance of flooding and tornadoes.

It has already started to rain in Northern California, and the storm will move south Wednesday morning. This storm will be at its worst in Southern California by Thursday. A few showers will still be around on Friday.

There is also a low but not zero chance of spinning in the storms, which could lead to waterspouts or small tornadoes, especially between Point Conception and coastal LA County, according to the weather service.

Storms don’t happen very often in the state. Coastal California only gets about five days of thunderstorms a year, while Florida gets about 80 days a year on average.

Wadi Derna Dam Collapse: Has it Led to Flooding in Libya?

Along the coast, it will likely rain 2 to 4 inches, and in the mountains, it could rain 4 to 8 inches. It might rain in Los Angeles for more than a month in a short amount of time.

There is a Level 3 out of 4 chance of heavy rain along the central coast of California, including Santa Barbara and Oxnard, on Wednesday. This is where flooding is most likely to happen. Thursday, that danger moves a little farther south to include Redondo Beach and Santa Monica.

Texas Surpasses All States in Population Gain; census data shows (www.eduvast.com)

According to the Weather Prediction Center, this amount and rate of rain is likely to lead to a number of small to large flash floods. Some of these floods could be very bad, with the chance of flash, urban, and mud/debris runs over recent burn scars.

A lot of snow will fall in parts of the Sierra Nevada because of the storm. The highest peaks could get an extra 6 to 12 inches of snow.

That rain will move farther east into Arizona, Utah, and Nevada by Friday, thanks to this storm. In those states, strong winds of 20 to 30 mph will also be a problem, making driving dangerous before the holiday weekend.