CBS News said the Los Angeles River rose so quickly drivers were forced to abandon their flooded cars.
Flows of mud and floodwater cascaded down areas left barren by recent brush fires, spurred by the historic drought in the region.
Rainfall totals reached one to four inches. Los Angeles International Airport registered 1.42 inches, a new record for the date, and more rain than seen on any single day but one in 2015.
Tuesday’s heavy rains were just the beginning. Another one to four inches of rain is likely to drench the region today.
“Rainfall rates may approach one inch per hour within stronger thunderstorms,” the National Weather Service in Los Angeles warned. “Heavier bands of rain may cause flash flood and mud/debris flows especially in recent burn areas including the most recent Solimar burn area in Ventura County. Urban roadway flooding as well as water ponding on the highways are likely, creating hazardous driving conditions.”
In the mountains at elevations above 5,000 feet, heavy snowfall is occurring. One to two feet may pile up through Thursday, with strong winds gusting to 50-60 mph creating blizzard conditions.
Periods of rain, heavy at times, may continue in Southern California through Thursday before a respite Friday into Saturday. Additional showers may then move into the region Saturday night into Sunday.
While the rain and mountain snows are welcome in the drought-stricken state, the quantity coming all at once is proving to be challenge. “Los Angeles County officials said they were struggling to secure federal funds for flood control and the removal of debris from the Los Angeles River,” the LA Times said.
And significantly more rain is needed to put a serious dent in the drought. Per the Associated Press:
California’s water deficit is so deep after four years of drought that a “steady parade of storms” like these will be needed for years to come, said Mike Anderson, climatologist for the state’s Department of Water Resources.“We’re at least on a good trajectory,” he said. “We’ve got to keep it going.”
This year’s record-setting El Niño event bodes well for additional heavy precipitation events in California through February. The warm waters in the tropical Pacific Ocean associated with El Niño help intensify storm systems that slam into the Golden State.
The Weather Service said Monday that the three-month average sea surface temperature in the east central tropical Pacific, a measure of El Niño, climbed 2.3 degrees Celsius above normal, matching the record-setting level attained in 1997-98.
Previously, this El Niño event had set records for the biggest weekly and monthly temperature differences from the normal in this part of the Pacific.
More on El Niño: