Los Angeles, CA – A powerful band of heavy rain is triggering multiple Flash Flood Warnings across Southern California today, with dangerous conditions expected through at least noon as storms continue intensifying over recent burn scars.
According to the National Weather Service (NWS) offices in San Diego and Los Angeles/Oxnard, rainfall rates between 0.5 and 1.25 inches per hour are already impacting the region, with several burn scars showing immediate debris flow risk. Officials warn that flash flooding is ongoing in some areas and could worsen rapidly as thunderstorms redevelop late this morning.
The Bridge Fire burn scar in San Bernardino County, the Eaton Burn Scar in the San Gabriel Mountains, and the Franklin and Palisades burn scars near Malibu and Pacific Palisades are among the highest-risk zones. NWS reports indicate that debris flows made up of mud, rock, vegetation and other loose materials may move quickly downhill and across canyon roadways.
Cities currently under warnings include Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga, Glendora, Pasadena, Altadena, Malibu, Thousand Oaks, Ventura, Santa Clarita, West Covina, Whittier, Pomona, Burbank, and Downtown Los Angeles. Major corridors such as I-15 through the Cajon Pass, Hwy 2, Hwy 138, Topanga Canyon Road, Malibu Canyon, and several Santa Monica Mountain routes may see sudden closures or washouts.
Residents near burn areas are urged to seek higher ground immediately. NWS states this is a life-threatening situation, emphasizing: “Do not attempt to travel unless fleeing an area subject to flooding.” Drivers across Los Angeles and Ventura counties should avoid flooded roads, where most flood-related deaths occur.
