A resident in Sierra Madre, Calif., is seen preparing for heavy rains by loading sandbags as an atmospheric river storm approaches the West Coast. This storm is expected to bring flash flooding and power outages due to heavy rain and snow, making travel hazardous for commuters. Evacuation warnings have been issued for areas with burn scars from recent fires, with up to 4 inches of rain predicted overnight leading to flash flood warnings in many regions.
Meteorologists, including Melissa Magee from NBC Los Angeles, are emphasizing the rapid and intense nature of this storm system. The National Weather Service warns of heavy rain, snow, and strong winds up to 70 mph causing dangerous travel conditions in the Sierra Nevada and northern California. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass urges residents to heed weather warnings to prevent the impacts of mudflows in burn areas and citywide.
In response to the storm, Los Angeles has placed the entire city under a flood watch, with pea-size hail and potential power outages expected. Mandatory evacuations have been ordered in Sierra Madre, where mudflows occurred last month. Concrete barriers and sandbags have been set up along the Pacific Coast Highway in preparation for potential mudslides.
School closures have been announced in Malibu due to road closures, with predictions of heavy rain and significant snowfall in higher elevations. Concerns about mudslides and sinkholes are heightened, as residents like Jason Nielsen fear for their homes during the rainy season. Another storm is expected to follow on Friday, while blizzard conditions are forecasted for the Plains and severe weather for various regions in the Midwest and South.
The Storm Prediction Center highlights a moderate risk of severe thunderstorms across several states in the Mississippi Valley, Ohio Valley, and Tennessee Valley as part of this weather system.
On Friday, the far northwest of Tennessee and extreme northeast Arkansas may experience winds exceeding 70 mph and potential strong tornadoes. This same extensive weather system will increase temperatures in Southern states and has led to a critical fire risk alert for a significant portion of the southern Plains over the weekend. The weather service mentioned that this expansive and active system will draw warm, dry air from the Desert Southwest into the southern Plains, creating strong winds and a heightened risk of fire weather due to a tightening pressure gradient.
