Los Angeles was on high alert last week as a holiday storm swept through Southern California. A “Pineapple Express,” or strong atmospheric river, brought record-breaking rainfall, with the heaviest rain falling on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Meteorologists are calling it the wettest Christmas holiday for the region in decades, recording several inches of rain.
As of publication, at least three deaths in Southern California have been linked to the storm. There are no reported deaths in Los Angeles County. The National Weather Service (NWS) has forecasted the storm, which brought 11 inches of rain to some areas of LA, will impact the region through Saturday, Dec. 27.
On Dec. 24, Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Shasta counties, as the rainfall and strong winds had saturated soils, heightening the risk of flooding, landslides, debris flows and rising water. Recently burned areas in Southern California, including the Palisades and Eaton Fire burn scars, faced an increased threat of mudslides and debris flow…