WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2024, AS OF 3:00 PM EST
Between Sunday, February 4 and Tuesday, February 6, a slow-moving atmospheric river event produced intense rainfall and winds across California, causing dangerous mudslides, historic power outages, and several incident-related deaths. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), atmospheric rivers are regions in the atmosphere that transport water vapor and generally release it as rain or snow once they reach land, which can combine with strong winds to produce extreme flooding and damage. The intensity of this latest storm system is due to the “combination of warm air from the Pacific, strong onshore winds and cooler air onshore”. In the latest Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Watch Center’s Daily Operations Briefing on Wednesday, February 7 at 8:30 a.m. ET, officials report that the system has shifted east and the major flooding threats in the Southern California region have diminished. However, National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologist Ariel Cohen warns residents to stay on alert as just a small amount of additional rainfall could reintroduce risks of mudslides and debris flow.
Here are the latest details for the rest of the storm. An end is in sight, but not until Thu or Fri. Do not let the break Wednesday morning misguide you – more rain and mountain snow coming Wednesday afternoon and night. #cawx #larain pic.twitter.com/GaK8SUp63H
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) February 7, 2024
Twitter: NWS Los Angeles
In anticipation of the storm’s arrival, on Sunday, February 4, California Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed a State of Emergency for eight Southern California counties, authorizing 8,500 state-coordinated assets to respond to a variety of response and recovery operational needs. Beginning over the weekend, officials issued mandatory evacuations for thousands of residents at risk of experiencing mudslides and other dangerous conditions in Los Angeles, Monterrey, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties.
On Sunday afternoon and leading into early Monday, the storm caused power outages for 900,000 customers across the state, according to PowerOutage.us. Additionally, several road closures were reported including at least two areas of the Pacific Coast Highway; many school districts cancelled classes on Monday; Amtrak rail service was interrupted; and major airports across California experienced hundreds of cancelled and delayed flights. During a Monday news conference, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass received a call from President Biden, who over speakerphone confirmed his office’s collaboration with the Governor and promised additional support from the federal government, if requested.
The powerful storm system brought torrential, record rainfall totals to California, with double digit totals in several areas within Los Angeles County, including 13.04 inches Bel Air, 13.02 inches in Sepulveda Canyon, and 12.62 inches in Woodland Hills, according to NWS’s four day rainfall totals. Since January 1, the weather station in Los Angeles has reported 10.72 inches of rain since the beginning of 2024, equating to 75 percent of the yearly average rainfall. The historic rainfall produced dangerous conditions in impacted areas, including 475 mudslides in the Los Angeles area alone since the weekend and a record 390 fallen trees. Several successful rescue operations have been performed to assist stranded people and pets from floodwaters and debris flow, including 16 people from Studio City, Los Angeles on Monday evening. State officials have reported a confirmed total of nine storm-related deaths due to fallen trees and vehicle accidents caused by the strong wind gusts exceeding 100 miles per hour (mph).
Weather.gov: FEMA Flood Safety
FEMA encourages individuals to take the necessary precautions and prepare for flash flooding. Flash floods can develop with little to no warning, quickly changing the surrounding area. FEMA suggests individuals seek higher ground, avoid walking or driving in flood waters, and heed the warnings of local authorities. Often, the most important step is to seek shelter away from the water, which may necessitate getting to the highest ground possible or evacuating the area if directed to do so by local authorities. Throughout the weather event, individuals should pay close attention to emergency alerts and/ or their local alerting systems for the most up-to-date information – consider accessing the Emergency Alert System and NOAA Weather Radio for the latest warnings, watches, and advisories. For more weather safety information visit Ready.gov.
During a Landslide: Source
Additionally, Ready.gov provides information on how to prepare for, recognize warning signs, react to, and recover from mud and landslides and debris flows. It is important to understand the warning signs of both fast- and slow-moving landslides.