Storm leads to swift water rescue, floods, power outages
Heavy rain pounded Southern California on Sunday, leading to flooding, mud and debris flows and the swift water rescue of a man in the Santa Ana River.
The rescue occurred Sunday morning near Garden Grove Boulevard, the Orange County Fire Authority reported.
An adult male has been extracted from the water by our swift water rescue team. He is being attended to by firefighter paramedics. pic.twitter.com/DBbnhPuwSX
— OCFA PIO (@OCFireAuthority) December 11, 2022
Rescuers found the man clinging to a cement wall underneath where the boulevard passes over the river. No details on how he wound up in the water were immediately available.
Steady rain fell in the northern San Fernando Valley, where the Californian Highway Patrol was at the scene of a big-rig crash on northbound Interstate 5 at Sheldon Street in the Sun Valley area. Several lanes were blocked and flooded.
In Long Beach, a large palm tree was found toppled onto a Honda Fit in the 300 block of Cherry Avenue just before 9 a.m., KTLA reported.
There were no immediate reports of injuries.https://t.co/CtMlSWw8pz
— KTLA (@KTLA) December 11, 2022
The NWS said Doppler radar indicated heavy rain due to thunderstorms in south Orange County, and minor flooding was expected Sunday morning in Irvine, Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, Laguna Beach, Dana Point and Laguna Niguel.
The Angeles National Forest said roads in the forest might be very slick and/or closed due to rain or snow. Tire or snow chain requirements could be in effect.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works reported that Lake Hughes Road, between Pine Canyon and Dry Gulch roads in Lake Hughes, was closed due to mud and debris on the roadway. The department was asking the public to avoid the area and use alternate routes.
The Pomona Police Department reported flooding at the underpass at First Street, with several streets in the area either closed or affected by flooding, including South Reservoir Street, South Towne Avenue, East End Street, Garey Avenue and White Avenue.
Forecasters said heavy downpours and small hail were possible in some areas through Sunday evening.
The Los Angeles County mountains were predicted to see rainfall rates of 1/2- to 3/4-inch per hour. Those rates prompted the NWS to issue a flash flood watch for the mountains, Antelope Valley and San Gabriel Valley through Sunday afternoon. The watch particularly applies to the Fish Fire and Lake Fire burn areas.
“Residents near these burn scars should prepare for potential flooding impacts,” forecasters said.
The weather was causing some power outages as well. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power tweeted at 8:46 a.m. that crews were working to restore power to affected customers as quickly and safely as possible, while working in challenging conditions.
By Sunday morning, 4.73 inches of rain had fallen at Stunt Ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains. The snow level remained high through Sunday morning, but could drop later in the day to as low as 3,000 feet, meaning “snow could accumulate on portions of I-5 near the Grapevine. This could cause major travel disruptions at the end of the weekend,” according to the NWS.
Wind advisories were in place until noon in the greater LA area and the valleys, and until 6 p.m. in Orange County.
The NWS posted a flood watch through Sunday afternoon, mainly within the San Gorgonio Pass and around the mountain slopes in the San Bernardino National Forest, where “excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying flood-prone locations.”
A wind advisory is also in effect from 4 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday for downtown Riverside, Temecula and Hemet. The NWS noted that southwest winds of 15 to 25 mph are anticipated, with gusts around 45 mph in some locations.
The storm is expected to pass through the area by Sunday night. Some lingering showers will be possible Monday morning, primarily in mountain areas, forecasters said.
Man lifted to safety by helicopter from swollen Santa Ana River in Orange County
Chain control is being issued in the San Bernardino mountains. Bring your chains regardless of the vehicle you have, including your super awesome 4WD/AWD ultimate truck/car/van - we’ve seen them all get stuck! So, be prepared and be smart. Bring your chains! #Caltrans8 pic.twitter.com/nedgpaoQsi
— Caltrans District 8 (@Caltrans8) December 11, 2022