Early Tuesday morning, Southern California’s first winter storm of the season brought high winds and uncharacteristically heavy rainfall to Los Angeles County and the Santa Clarita Valley.
In the midst of what is arguably the worst drought in California history, L.A. County and Santa Clarita had the driest November in decades, seeing zero inches of rainfall throughout the month.
In the early morning hours of December 14, the storm which had been making its way inland hit Santa Clarita with heavy winds and rainfall, activating a city and county-wide flash flood warning.
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), heavy rain occurs when more than 0.3 inches of rain falls within one hour, and on Tuesday morning, rainfall peaked at 0.82 inches per hour in Santa Clarita.
As of 10 a.m. Tuesday, Newhall had experienced nearly three inches of rainfall, 2.95 inches total.
The rain showers continued on and off throughout Tuesday, with blue skies once again breaking through the clouds by late afternoon.
North of Santa Clarita, the mountains surrounding Castaic received a dusting of snowfall, exceeding the expectations of local meteorologists. Snow was expected to fall around 4,500ft elevation, and instead made a surprise touchdown between 3,500-2,500ft according to various sources.
Across L.A. County, cities saw flash flooding, collapsing roads, backed-up storm drains, and more. Local first responders were kept busy with rescue calls and evacuations. In Orange County, the heavy rainfall caused a significant mudslide in Silverado Canyon requiring multiple evacuations and rescues.
In Santa Barbara County and the mountains further north, communities saw over 6-7in of rain and multiple feet of snow. The Grapevine portion of Interstate 5 saw snowfall, creating significant delays and slushy driving conditions, but remained open through intermittent precipitation as of Thursday morning.
As cold weather persistently remains in Santa Clarita, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued a wind advisory in Santa Clarita from early Friday morning and Thursday night until Saturday afternoon. Wind chill is expected to reach as low as 25 degrees Fahrenheit.
“Use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high-profile vehicle. Secure outdoor objects,” stated the NOAA advisory.
And by next Tuesday another chance of rain is expected.
To view the full wind advisory from the NOAA, click here.
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