The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has issued a local emergency proclamation as a powerful winter storm continued to pummel the region with heavy rain and strong winds, threatening communities already reeling from days of severe weather.
The emergency declaration will allow the county to quickly coordinate resources, protect residents and accelerate recovery efforts. A special meeting has been called for Tuesday, Dec. 30, to ratify the proclamation, which will enable the county to formally request state and federal assistance.
"Los Angeles County is currently experiencing a storm with significant rain and strong winds," Hilda L. Solis said in a statement. "This action ensures the County can quickly coordinate resources, protect residents, and accelerate recovery efforts."
Gov. Gavin Newsom has also declared a state of emergency for Los Angeles County, mobilizing additional state resources to support local response and recovery efforts. The governor previously declared emergencies in six counties to allow state assistance.
The storm system, which brought the wettest Christmas season to downtown Los Angeles in 54 years, was expected to ease Friday, but significant risks remained. Waves near the San Francisco Bay Area could reach up to 25 feet, parts of Southern California faced flooding threats, and avalanches threatened the Lake Tahoe area, officials warned.
The atmospheric rivers carried massive plumes of moisture from the tropics during one of the busiest travel weeks of the year. The storms were blamed for at least two deaths earlier in the week.
A falling tree killed a San Diego man Wednesday, and farther north, a Sacramento sheriff's deputy died in what appeared to be a weather-related crash, news outlets reported.
Areas along the coast, including Malibu, were under a flood watch until Friday afternoon, and wind and flood advisories were issued for much of the Sacramento Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area.
The mountain town of Wrightwood, about 80 miles northeast of Los Angeles, remained under an evacuation warning Thursday due to the risk of mudslides. Roads in the 5,000-resident town were covered in rocks, debris and thick mud. With power out, a gas station and coffee shop running on generators were serving as hubs for residents and visitors.
"It's really a crazy Christmas," said Jill Jenkins, who was spending the holiday with her 13-year-old grandson, Hunter Lopiccolo.
Lopiccolo said the family almost evacuated the previous day, when water washed away a chunk of their backyard. But they decided to stay and still celebrated the holiday.
"We just played card games all night with candles and flashlights," he said.
Davey Schneider hiked a mile and a half through rain and floodwater up to his shins from his Wrightwood residence Wednesday to rescue cats from his grandfather's house.
"I wanted to help them out because I wasn't confident that they were going to live," Schneider said Thursday. "Fortunately, they all lived. They're all okay — just a little bit scared."
Arlene Corte said roads in town turned into rivers, but her house was not damaged.
"It could be a whole lot worse," she said. "We're here talking."
With more rain on the way, more than 150 firefighters were stationed in the area, said San Bernardino County Fire spokesman Shawn Millerick.
"We're ready," he said. "It's all hands on deck at this point."
Southern California typically gets half an inch to 1 inch of rain this time of year, but this week many areas could see between 4 and 8 inches, with even more in the mountains, National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Wofford said.
More wind and heavy snow was expected in the Sierra Nevada, where gusts created "near white-out conditions" and made mountain pass travel treacherous.
Los Angeles County departments were actively monitoring conditions, deploying resources and standing ready to respond to emergencies, according to the Board Chair's statement. Officials urged residents to stay informed, follow official guidance and take precautions to protect themselves and their families.
The state deployed resources and first responders to several coastal and Southern California counties, and the California National Guard was on standby.