LOS ANGELES, Calif. — A Flash Flood Warning has been issued for large portions of Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara counties, placing more than 3.5 million people under emergency alert as intense rainfall sweeps through Southern California. Officials are warning residents to avoid low-lying roads and prepare for sudden flooding and potential mudslides through the day.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued the warning early Friday morning as bands of heavy rain — some producing up to one inch of rain per hour — began hitting the Los Angeles Basin and surrounding foothill regions.
“This is a dangerous situation,” meteorologists warned. “Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly in areas of heavy rainfall, especially in regions with poor drainage and near recent burn scars.”
Regions Under the Flash Flood Warning
The warning affects a broad stretch of Southern California, including:
- Los Angeles County: Burbank, Compton, Long Beach, Santa Clarita, and nearby mountain foothills.
- Ventura County: Oxnard, Santa Paula, Thousand Oaks, and surrounding areas.
- Santa Barbara County: Santa Barbara city and Goleta areas.
Flood-prone regions and those near creeks, canyons, and coastal drainages are at the highest risk. The warning is expected to remain in effect through Friday evening, as another round of rainfall moves inland from the Pacific.
Rainfall Totals and Flooding Threats
So far, parts of Ventura County have already recorded more than 2 inches of rain, while the Los Angeles metro area has seen widespread totals between 1.5 and 3 inches…