2023-12-22 14:07:38
A flood watch is in effect from Los Angeles to Phoenix on Friday.
December 22, 2023, 9:08 AM ET
• 6 min read
California is getting hammered with rain and flooding, causing dangerous travel conditions as the holiday rush begins.
Significant travel delays and road closures have been reported due to flooded roads.
A pedestrian walks under a flooded freeway underpass during a rainstorm, Dec. 21, 2023, in Santa Barbara, Calif. Jae C. Hong/APCars are submerged on a flooded street during a rain storm, Dec. 21, 2023, in Santa Barbara, Calif.Jae C. Hong/AP
The storm, which will move out of California on Friday, brought flooding to Northern California on Wednesday before heading south with rain and gusty winds.
San Luis Obispo County recorded nearly 16 inches of rain this week while Ventura County saw more than 13 inches of rain this week.
A pedestrian tries to walk through a flooded zone near an overpass as rain comes down, Dec. 21, 2023, in Santa Barbara, Calif.Eugene Garcia/AP
Santa Barbara and Ventura counties were in the bull’s-eye for the heaviest rain and flooding on Thursday.
Oxnard in Ventura County recorded 3.18 inches of rain — which is more than one month’s worth of rain for the city — in less than 1 hour on Thursday. Some people were rescued from their cars following they became trapped on flooded roads.
Cars are submerged on a flooded street during a rain storm, Dec. 21, 2023, in Santa Barbara, Calif.Jae C. Hong/AP
Friday morning, the heavy rain and potential flooding is focused on Southern California and Arizona. A flood watch is in effect from Los Angeles to Phoenix.
Friday night into Saturday, the storm will move into the southern Rockies. Heavy snow is expected in the mountains of Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado.
The storm will also bring heavy rain to Texas on Saturday. Houston is in the bull’s-eye but Dallas and Wichita, Kansas, might also see heavy rain and thunderstorms.
By Sunday, very heavy rain will reach the South. Flash flooding will be possible from New Orleans to Little Rock, Arkansas.
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