A state of emergency has been declared for eight counties in Southern California as a series of winter storms began impacting much of the state with high winds, damaging rain and heavy snowfall.
Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed the emergency to support storm response and recovery efforts.
The proclamation covers Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. The emergency proclamation authorizes a California National Guard response if tasked, facilitating unemployment benefits for impacted residents, and making it easier for out-of-state contractors and utilities to repair storm damage.
On Sunday, the Governor visited the State Operations Center near Sacramento for an update on the storm and the state’s response efforts.
“This is a serious storm with dangerous and potentially life-threatening impacts. Please pay attention to any emergency orders or alerts from local officials. California is ready with a record number of emergency assets on the ground to respond to the impacts of this storm,” Newsom said.
Nearly 40 million people in the state fall under the risk of life-threatening flooding as nearly half a year’s worth of rainfall is expected to lash across Los Angeles by Tuesday.
Tens of thousands of California residents are reportedly affected by blackout.
Local authorities have issued evacuation order to thousands of residents in southern and northern parts of the state.
The National Weather Service said a strong Pacific storm system will bring impactful and dangerous flooding rains, heavy snow, strong winds, coastal flooding, and high surf to California. “Heavy rainfall will bring the threat for life-threatening flash, urban, and river flooding as well as debris flows and mudslides. High elevation snow may produce whiteout conditions and dangerous, near impossible travel conditions.”
A phenomenon called atmospheric river already resulted in flash flooding and heavy mountain snow in Central and Southern California.
The threat for flash flooding centers on Southern California Monday, according to NWS.
Heavy Snow has been reported in parts of the Sierra Nevada, Great Basin, Northern Rockies, and Four Corners Region. Snowfall of several feet is expected for higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada.
There is a warning that snowfall rates of 2-3″ per hour and gusty winds above 60 mph will keep travel dangerous.
Excessive rainfall in parts of western Arizona and Southern Nevada has been forecast for Tuesday.
Moderate to heavy showers are expected from Northern California into the Pacific Northwest, while some showers and thunderstorms are possible for parts of Florida and northeastward along coastal Georgia and South Carolina, NWS said in its latest Short Range Forecast Discussion.
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