Gov. Gavin Newsom has issued a state of emergency for Los Angeles County as a “dangerous holiday storm” is expected to bring several inches of rain to the area in the coming days.
The California governor issued a state of emergency for Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Shasta counties on Dec. 24 due to atmospheric rivers bringing significant rainfall and strong winds, which threaten to trigger landslides and debris flows in wildfire-burn-scar areas. Parts of Shasta County in recent days received seven inches of rain or more, the USA TODAY Network’s Record Searchlight reported.
In Southern California, the atmospheric river has caused reported flooding and road closures on Christmas Eve, in addition to power outages, as meteorologists warn travelers to exercise extreme caution during the holidays. AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Chad Merrill told the USA TODAY Network that while there are expected to be lulls in rain tonight, another “surge” is coming Christmas Day. That will trigger more flooding across Southern California, Merrill said.
What does Newsom’s emergency proclamation do?
The emergency proclamation allows state resources and support to be mobilized quickly for local governments and the deployment of the California National Guard, according to Newsom’s office. It also allows Caltrans “to seek federal assistance for repairs to damaged roads and highways.”…