Additional Coverage:
- David Muir details harrowing scene as ‘disastrous’ storm threatens 22 million Californians (themirror.com)
California Braces for “Disastrous” Atmospheric River Storm
California is currently in the grips of a powerful atmospheric river storm, prompting widespread evacuation warnings and placing over 22 million Americans under alert. David Muir, anchoring ABC’s World News Tonight on Friday, opened with a stark warning as images of crashing waves and flooded highways underscored the severity of the situation.
The storm is delivering torrential rain from San Diego to Santa Barbara, with flash flood watches in effect across the coast and wind gusts projected to reach 45 mph overnight. ABC’s Matt Gutman reported from Sherman Oaks, highlighting the extreme danger on waterlogged roads. A video clip showed a Tesla hydroplaning on the 405 freeway and colliding with a guardrail, serving as a stark reminder of first responders’ warnings: “If residents don’t evacuate when told, it could be too late.”
Officials emphasized the uncontrollable nature of mudslides, stating, “There is nothing that can stop a mudslide. Once it starts, it’s on its own timetable.” Muir reinforced these concerns by replaying footage from September’s flash flooding, which inundated vehicles in Barstow and sent mud cascading into Oak Glen.
Evacuation warnings are active through Sunday for burn scar areas in Los Angeles County, including Canyon and Franklin. In Altadena, officials have deployed 13,000 feet of concrete barriers and absorbent booms to mitigate anticipated debris flows. County officials urged residents in these areas to “be ready to leave at a moment’s notice.”
Chief Meteorologist Lee Gober joined Muir to detail the intensifying weather. “The rain intensity is set to ramp up big time later this evening,” she stated, noting that “very heavy rainfall [is] coming in after 10 o’clock.” Flood watches cover much of Southern California, with a moderate flash flood risk for areas like Santa Barbara and Los Angeles.
Gober outlined two main waves of heavy rainfall: early Saturday morning between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m., and again from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Rainfall rates could hit 1 inch per hour, with mountain areas potentially receiving up to 6 inches. Muir underscored the scale of the precipitation, adding, “This storm could bring more than a month’s worth of rain in a single day.”
In central California, the ongoing Pack Fire, which has burned over 3,000 acres and destroyed 20 structures, could see some relief from the rain. However, Muir cautioned that the same precipitation would likely worsen conditions in the surrounding hills, increasing the risk of mudslides.
California Governor Gavin Newsom confirmed that emergency resources have already been deployed to Los Angeles, Ventura, and Orange counties. Muir concluded the broadcast, assuring viewers, “We’ll be watching this all weekend long for California.”