Ariel Cohen, an NWS meteorologist, warned that from Wednesday afternoon through Friday, “many areas will likely experience significant flooding, along with rockslides and mudslides, especially in the higher elevations”.
“If you were planning to travel on the roads during Christmas, please reconsider your plans,” he added.
“DOESN’T FEEL SAFE”
However, many Angelenos were still out and about Wednesday, buying last-minute gifts, grocery shopping, and even jogging.
For some though, Christmas travel was upended.
“We decided to stay home,” said Jim Lewis, who opted against going to his cousins in nearby Pasadena and was doing last-minute shopping in the city instead.
“We’ve been receiving all these alerts, it doesn’t feel safe, I don’t feel like driving there at dark,” he told AFP.
Larissa Peet, who was planning a party, said her celebration was still on.
“Nothing that we’re doing differently. Just hanging out, eating, drinking and having a good time,” she said.
In addition to the threat of flooding, meteorologists are forecasting wind gusts up to nearly 130kmh in the mountains and deserts of Los Angeles County.
Some Californian communities are still reeling from thousands of wildfires that killed 31 people across the state during 2025, including residential neighborhoods of Los Angeles at the start of the year.
In the Sierra Nevada range along the eastern border of California, more than 30cm of snow had already fallen this week, with up to 152cm forecast before the storm is through.
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