Additional Coverage:
- Photos show atmospheric storm damage from torrential rain and wind across California (businessinsider.com)
Pineapple Express Drenches Southern California, Leaving a Trail of Floods and Power Outages on Christmas
Southern California residents found their Christmas celebrations interrupted by a powerful atmospheric river, dubbed a “Pineapple Express,” that unleashed torrential rains, triggered widespread flooding, and caused significant power outages across the region. The storm, which began on Christmas Eve and continued through Christmas Day, prompted Governor Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency in six counties.
The National Weather Service issued stern warnings of “life-threatening” floods and mudslides, urging evacuations in several areas. By Wednesday morning, some localities had already received between 4 and 8 inches of rain, with another wave of the storm expected to hit on Christmas Day.
The impact was immediate and severe. Roads transformed into rivers, and mudslides buried vehicles, as dramatically captured in Wrightwood, a town about 80 miles northeast of Los Angeles, where a car was seen submerged in mud.
Emergency crews were reportedly engaged in numerous rescue operations, pulling people from flooded cars and homes, with some even requiring helicopter rescues from their rooftops. Sarah Bailey, a two-decade resident of Wrightwood, described it as “the worst flooding I’ve ever seen” to The New York Times.
Christopher Prater, a spokesperson for the San Bernardino County Fire Department, confirmed “dozens” of rescue calls on Wednesday night alone.
The storm’s fury extended beyond property damage. Tragically, three storm-related fatalities were reported: one in Northern California by the Redding Police Department, and two more in South Sacramento and San Diego, according to CNN.
Power outages also plagued the state, leaving over 163,000 homes and businesses across California without electricity on Christmas morning, primarily concentrated in Northern California.
This particular type of storm, a “Pineapple Express,” is a concentrated band of water vapor originating from the tropical Pacific. These atmospheric rivers are a significant contributor to California’s rainfall, accounting for 30 to 50% of the state’s total.
Even as the storm begins to recede, authorities caution that the danger is not over. Any additional rainfall, even if less intense, could exacerbate flooding and trigger further debris flows, particularly in areas already vulnerable from earlier wildfires this year.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass urged residents to remain vigilant. “I am urging all Angelenos to stay safe and be extremely careful on the roads if you absolutely must travel,” Mayor Bass stated. “Please do not take this storm lightly.”
The Santa Barbara airport, for instance, recorded a new rainfall record on Christmas Eve, receiving 3 inches of rain. As of Christmas Day, approximately 15 million people remained in a moderate-risk zone for flooding, according to CNN. The images emerging from across the state depict the widespread devastation, from submerged cars to washed-out sections of roadways like California State Route 138 outside Wrightwood.
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- Photos show atmospheric storm damage from torrential rain and wind across California (businessinsider.com)