Christmas Eve storms in Southern California have officials urging travelers to reconsider holiday plans

"California officials and weather forecasters urged holiday travelers to avoid the roads and reconsider Christmas travel as a series of powerful winter storms brought relentless rains, heavy winds and mountain snow.Storms began to move in late Tuesday evening and were expected to intensify into Christmas Eve. Authorities said the millions of people expected to travel across the state will likely meet hazardous, if not impossible, conditions as several atmospheric rivers were forecast to make their way through the state, the National Weather Service warned."

"Forecasters said Southern California could see its wettest Christmas in years and warned about flash flooding, mudslides and debris flows in areas scorched by last January's wildfires. Los Angeles County officials said they were knocking on the doors of some 380 particularly vulnerable households to order them to leave. Much of the Sacramento Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area were under a flood watch and a high wind warning through Friday."

"There's also a risk of severe thunderstorms and a small chance of tornadoes along the northern coast. Heavy rain and flash flooding already led to water rescues and at least one death in Northern California, local officials said. Shasta County Sheriff Michael L. Johnson on Monday declared a state of emergency to prepare for more rain and allow the state to help with hazard mitigation and search and rescue operations."

Multiple powerful winter storms and atmospheric rivers struck California, bringing relentless rain, strong winds and heavy mountain snow that intensified into Christmas Eve. Officials issued flood watches and high wind warnings across the Sacramento Valley, San Francisco Bay Area and Sierra Nevada, and warned of flash flooding, mudslides and debris flows in areas burned by previous wildfires. Emergency actions included knocking on doors of vulnerable households and a Shasta County state of emergency declaration to enable hazard mitigation and search-and-rescue support. Heavy rain already produced water rescues and at least one death, and forecasters cautioned that some mountain passes could become nearly impossible to travel.

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