Torrential downpours swept across Southern California on Friday, prompting new flash flood warnings as a series of storms pushed the region toward one of its wettest Novembers on record, according to the National Weather Service.
The Associated Press reported that residents in parts of Los Angeles and Orange counties were urged to brace for rapid flooding on roads, rising creeks and streams, and the possibility of mudslides in burn-scarred terrain.
In coastal Huntington Beach, stormwater spilled through some neighborhoods with the force of a shallow stream.
Flash flood warnings covered a wide stretch of the region — from downtown Los Angeles and Santa Monica to Mission Viejo in Orange County. Near Culver City, several vehicles became stranded in rising floodwaters during the early morning hours, forecasters said.
By midmorning in Huntington Beach, most of the water had drained away. But one neighborhood remained inundated after a nearby pond overflowed, sending water into residential streets and trapping parked cars until the level receded.
Meteorologist William Churchill of the National Weather Service Prediction Center told the Associated Press that some areas saw an inch of rain fall in just 30 minutes — an intensity that can quickly overwhelm storm drains and low-lying streets.
The latest flooding followed a series of storms that began sweeping through California on Nov. 13. Downtown Los Angeles has already recorded about 3.5 inches of rain this month, more than four times the normal November total of 0.78 inches, according to the weather service.
Santa Barbara County continues to bear the brunt of the moisture. Parts of the Santa Ynez Mountains have received more than 15 inches of rain so far in November, making the area one of the storm’s most saturated zones.
Forecasters say the pattern is linked to a powerful atmospheric river — a long, narrow corridor of water vapor that transports tropical moisture across the Pacific Ocean. Earlier this month, that system contributed to at least six deaths as heavy rain, high winds, and dangerous conditions swept across much of the state.
Officials warn that the sodden landscape raises the risk of mudslides in areas recently burned by wildfire, where unstable slopes can fail with little notice when saturated by intense rainfall.
With more storms possible in the coming days, the National Weather Service urged residents to stay alert for additional advisories and avoid driving on flooded roads.
