Over the past 24 hours rain, heavy at times, has saturated much of the valley, with totals reaching about three-quarters of an inch in Sacramento, nearly half an inch in Stockton and almost an inch in Vacaville, and more expected throughout Tuesday.
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Altogether, the storms should bring massive amounts of rain and snow to a very parched state this month, but water managers won’t be able to fully estimate this year’s snowmelt until April 1, when the snowpack is typically at its deepest.
Sepulveda Basin, an area located in the San Fernando Valley has flooded, leaving part of the 101 Freeway near Ventura County flooded as well, causing closure since Tuesday morning due to intense rainfall, the Los Angeles Fire Department reported.
The El Nino weather phenomenon is bringing storms to California, which are causing some minor flooding.
The National Weather Service issued a flash-flood watch for Northern California communities in Lake County affected by several destructive wildfires last summer and fall.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said that no major roads were closed on Tuesday and that the majority of the areas did not lose electricity during the storm.
The system has created unusual weather on the other side of the United States with uncommon winter twisters in the south unseasonably high temperatures in the northeast, as well as a deluge of snow over the west.
Glendora resident Frank Salazar stockpiles sandbags to protect his home from flooding in Glendora, Calif., Monday, Jan. 4, 2016.
Office workers arrive to work in the pouring rain in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016.
Flash flooding and mudslides are of concern, especially in areas of California hit by last year’s wildfires.
“We’re at least on a good trajectory”, Mike Anderson, climatologist for the state’s Department of Water Resources told the Associated Press.
Officials are concerned about flash floods in those areas, and a voluntary evacuation advisory is planned for Silverado Canyon, which is recovering from a fire in 2014.
The National Weather Service has warned southern California residents to be prepared for flooding, landslides and mudslides.
LAX saw 1.42 inches fall throughout the day, beating the previous January 5 record of 1.32 inches in 1979.
Four vehicles were damaged after rocks fell on to a road in Malibu Canyon.
Although the rain eased by late afternoon, forecasters said more thunderstorms were expected on Wednesday and Thursday, and possibly Friday.
“It’s definitely the biggest rainmaker we’ve had”, Thornton said, adding that another storm would replace it on Wednesday. According to Garcetti, workers had been trying to get people to come in the shelters, but many had refused help and were still in flood-prone areas.
In Long Beach, firefighters rescued a homeless woman who was trapped by rising water in the Los Angeles River shortly before noon.
A dog was rescued in Los Angeles after being trapped by high waters in the West Hills.
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The storms are whipped up large ocean swells that could generate hazardous breaking waves at west-facing harbors.
