Storm California prepares for storm - state of emergency in Los Angeles
Heavy rain, power outages, closed roads: The US state of California is preparing for an expected severe storm.
25.12.2025, 02:40
SDA
On Wednesday, the US weather service NWS spoke of a "dangerous Christmas storm" in Southern California that poses a major threat to "property and life". Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for several counties, including the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The highest alert level was declared until Thursday morning.
The NWS warned that "life-threatening flash flooding" is expected to continue in Southern California on Wednesday and Thursday. In addition, there is "continued heavy snowfall in the mountains and strong winds." The storm could bring wind speeds of up to 130 kilometers per hour in the deserts and mountains of Los Angeles County.
"If you plan to be traveling during the Christmas holidays, please reconsider your plans," NWS meteorologist Ariel Cohen told reporters. "Many areas will likely experience significant flooding as well as rockfalls and mudslides, especially in high elevation areas and on roads through canyons," Cohen added.
Governor Newsom later declared a state of emergency for some counties. This is intended to make it easier for the authorities to mobilize resources quickly in an emergency.
Consequences of the "atmospheric river"
There had already been heavy rainfall in the region on Wednesday night. In the meantime, the authorities in Los Angeles issued a tornado warning, but later withdrew it.
The first effects of the storm were visible on Wednesday morning: fallen trees blocked roads and flooding occurred in some places. Several major roads were also closed due to flash flood warnings, and thousands of households lost power due to damaged power lines. According to the website Poweroutage, around 101,000 households and businesses across the state were without power.
The weather phenomenon known as an "atmospheric river" can result in more than 30 centimetres of rain in some communities in Southern California, according to the NWS. Atmospheric rivers are currents in the atmosphere that carry huge amounts of water vapor from the tropics and transport it to cooler regions. One such stream is expected to fall over Southern California by the weekend. The heaviest precipitation is expected in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Snowfall is also expected in the Sierra Nevada mountains along California's eastern border. Thirty centimetres of snow had already fallen here this week.
On Tuesday, the authorities in Los Angeles had already ordered the evacuation of more than 200 households. Several emergency shelters in the region opened their doors to people evacuated from their homes.
Noble suburbs probably particularly affected
The upscale suburbs of Los Angeles, Pacific Palisades and Malibu, where devastating fires raged almost a year ago, could be particularly affected. Due to the predicted heavy rainfall, severe landslides are feared there. Due to the massive damage caused by the fires at the time, the area is prone to mudslides in heavy rain.
Nevertheless, many residents of Los Angeles were not deterred in their Christmas preparations. Some were still out and about on Wednesday to get last-minute presents, buy groceries or go jogging.
Others, however, changed their plans because of the storm. "We decided to stay at home," resident Jim Lewis told the AFP news agency. He said he had decided against visiting his cousins in nearby Pasadena because of the storm warnings. "It doesn't feel safe," he said.
Resident Larissa Peet, on the other hand, wanted to go ahead with her planned Christmas party despite the warnings. "We're not doing anything different than usual," she said. "We're just hanging out, eating, drinking and having fun."
