LOS ANGELES – The hits keep coming to California as the state deals with an onslaught of atmospheric river storms that has brought torrential rain and life-threatening flooding, mudslides and debris flows to many parts of the state.
Widespread flooding was reported across California on Monday, with more than 300 reports of flooding coming into various National Weather Service offices across the state. While heavy rain drenched much of the Golden State, Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties were hit especially hard, with more than 15 inches of rain falling in higher elevations.
The National Weather Service in Los Angeles reported 2.73 inches of rain fell in downtown Los Angeles while Bel Air, just northwest of the city, picked up 5.27 inches of rain.
Several rivers also reported record-high water levels, including the Ventura, Salinas and Sisquoc rivers, as well as Sespe Creek.
Up to 10 inches of rain was also reported in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, especially in Fresno, Mariposa and Tulaire counties.
California has been slammed recently with several storms, including a bomb cyclone that ravaged parts of the state with heavy rain, high winds and pounding surf.
As of Monday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said the series of powerful storms has claimed the lives of at least 14 people, which is more than wildfires over the past two years combined.
There were also reports that a young boy had been swept away by the raging floodwaters in San Luis Obispo County on Monday.
According to FOX 11 in Los Angeles, the boy’s shoe was found before the search was called off after about seven hours due to the dangerous conditions.
So far, the boy has not been declared dead, according to San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Tony Cipolla.
Another atmospheric river storm will slam into California on Tuesday, but the FOX Forecast Center said it won’t be as intense as what occurred Monday when intense bands of flooding rain affected large portions of the state.
Tuesday’s rain will be more showery in nature, but it can still cause some serious problems.
In addition to the threat of heavy rain and flooding, a severe weather threat will also emerge.
There is a low chance of thunderstorms that can include small hail, damaging wind gusts, waterspouts and even the risk of a brief tornado.
HOW RARE ARE TORNADOES IN CALIFORNIA?
NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center is giving a 2% chance of a tornado occurring within 25 miles of any point across parts of Central California that stretch from San Andreas to Visalia.
There’s also a 2% chance that a tornado can spin up within 25 miles of any point along the Southern California coast from San Luis Obispo south through Los Angeles and Santa Ana.
It’s been six years since the Los Angeles area was under such a risk, although the northern coastal L.A. area had a 2% risk in 2020.
Already on Tuesday morning, a Tornado Warning was issued in Central California for areas including Modesto, Ceres and Riverbank. Still, there have been no confirmed reports that a tornado touched down during the warning, which was allowed to expire at 4:15 a.m. PST.
HOW YOU SHOULD PREPARE FOR A TORNADO
The FOX Forecast Center said an additional 2 to 6 inches of rain will fall in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range through Wednesday, and another 1 to 3 inches is expected along the coastal ranges of California.
While those totals don’t seem like much, because of the saturated soils across the state, any additional rain will lead to more widespread flooding and also bring the risk of mudslides and debris flows.
Much like Monday, the flood threat in California extends across nearly the entire state, with the highest flood risk existing along the coast.
However, there is a higher threat of flooding in the Los Angeles area as the heaviest rain activity is expected there.