California Storms Flood Roads, Trap Residents in Debris/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Southern California was hit with its wettest Christmas in decades, unleashing destructive mudslides, flooding, and debris flows. Emergency crews conducted over 100 rescues as neighborhoods were buried in mud and homes filled with rocks and water. Despite easing rain, forecasters warn the danger of flash floods isn’t over.
California Storm Disaster Quick Looks
- Southern California hit by historic winter storms and flooding
- Wrightwood and Lytle Creek see homes damaged, roads destroyed
- LA sees most rainfall over Christmas in 54 years
- Over 100 people rescued, 350+ traffic collisions reported
- Debris and mud bury cars, flood basements, trap residents
- 3 inches of rain in downtown LA, 17 in Ventura
- Avalanche at Mammoth Mountain injures two ski patrollers
- Emergency declared in New York for incoming snowstorm
- Flights delayed, trees downed, one weather-related fatality reported
- More storms expected around New Year’s Eve
California Storms Flood Roads, Trap Residents in Debris
Deep Look
WRIGHTWOOD, Calif. — Powerful winter storms battered Southern California over Christmas week, bringing the region its wettest holiday season in over five decades. Relentless rainfall triggered catastrophic mudslides, flooding, and debris flows that turned mountain roads into fast-moving rivers and left entire communities stranded or without power.
Emergency responders remained on high alert into Friday, even as rainfall began to ease. The National Weather Service cautioned that flash flood risks and mudslide dangers still loomed for several hard-hit areas, particularly around Los Angeles and the mountain regions to the north and east.
“We’re still not out of the woods,” said Mike Wofford, a meteorologist with the NWS in Los Angeles. “But for the most part, the worst is over.”
Communities Buried in Mud and Debris
In the mountain town of Wrightwood, located about 80 miles northeast of Los Angeles, the damage was particularly severe. Cars were buried up to their windows in mud, rock, and debris. Homes were half-filled with sludge. Streets were completely impassable.
Resident Sherry Tocco described the devastation in her neighborhood as unlike anything she had seen. “The river was raging, and then it just came through and destroyed, took everything with it,” she said Friday. Although her home was spared, nearby structures were swept away. One shed was washed down the road; others were tossed aside like driftwood. Tocco was evacuated by firefighters and spent Christmas Eve sleeping in her car.
In Lytle Creek, another mountain community nearby, rising waters destroyed a bridge, cutting off access to an entire neighborhood. Travis Guenther, a resident there, said by Friday morning the water had receded just enough to allow people to walk across the debris. One home had four feet of mud inside, he added.
“The guys are still trying to stay there, but they can’t shut their doors,” Guenther said. “They were stuck inside because there was a raging river on either side of them.”
Rescues and Statewide Impacts
The Los Angeles Fire Department reported rescuing over 100 people across the county on Thursday. In one operation, a helicopter lifted 21 people from cars stranded in rising floodwaters. At the same time, LA police responded to more than 350 vehicle collisions amid slick and muddy roads, the mayor’s office confirmed.
Eric Faulkner, manager of Mountain Hardware in Wrightwood, said residents had rushed to stock up on emergency supplies like firewood, propane, and fire starters. “My phone’s been nonstop — ‘Do you have this?’ or ‘Can you help me with that?’” he said.
Longtime Wrightwood resident Manny Simpson, who has lived through 14 years of storms in the area, said this was by far the worst. His basement flooded, but he still considered himself fortunate. “I’ve seen other houses, and I feel good about what happened to me,” he said.
Only one injury was reported in the town from debris cascading into vehicles earlier in the week.
Storm Records and Broader Weather Alerts
The National Weather Service confirmed that downtown Los Angeles recorded 3 inches of rain in just three days — the most during Christmas week since 1971. Other parts of Ventura County saw up to 17 inches of rainfall.
Northern California wasn’t spared either. High winds delayed nearly 44% of flights at San Francisco International Airport, and flood watches remained active through Friday. A San Diego man was killed by a falling tree, and in Sacramento County, a sheriff’s deputy died in what appeared to be a storm-related crash. Earlier in the week, heavy rains and flooding in Northern California had already claimed at least one life.
Meanwhile, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, a major resort southeast of Yosemite National Park, received over 5 feet of snow since Tuesday. On Friday, two ski patrollers were injured in an avalanche, though they were stabilized at a nearby hospital. In Nevada, another skier was rescued after being buried in an avalanche near Mount Rose, outside Reno.
East Coast Bracing for Storms
As California begins a brief recovery, the East Coast is preparing for its own winter weather crisis. Freezing rain was reported in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and New York state declared a state of emergency ahead of what could be the largest snowfall in three years for New York City.
In Connecticut, travel advisories were issued Friday as a winter storm approached the region. Snowfall and high winds are expected to cause widespread disruptions through Saturday morning.
Looking Ahead
Despite the brief pause in rainfall forecasted for California this weekend, meteorologists warned of another storm system arriving around New Year’s Eve, potentially bringing more rain, flooding, and mountain snow.
With already saturated ground and weakened infrastructure, officials are urging residents in vulnerable areas to remain alert and prepare for further evacuations or power outages.
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