California Winter Storm: Mudslides Still Possible as Downpours Continue

By: By Sean Breslin

Published: March 1,2014

 

 

 

 

After months of dangerous drought dried out the land and led to a massive wildfire near Glendora, Calif., much-needed rains could stir up more danger as the ground becomes wet and unstable.
In Azusa and neighboring foothill communities about 25 miles east of Los Angeles that sit beneath nearly 2,000 acres of steep mountain slopes that just weeks ago were menaced by a wildfire, about 1,200 homes were under evacuation orders over mudflow fears but were so-far spared.
(MORE: California Flood Alerts)
In particular danger were about a dozen homes in Azusa that were backed up against a steep fire-denuded hillside several hundred feet high that authorities feared could collapse.
Muddy water swept down the hillside earlier in the day, spreading about two feet of ooze above one backyard, although fencing walls and an orchard of about 5,000 avocado trees behind the development stopped most serious debris.
Despite the urging of police and fire officials who cleared reporters and others out of the neighborhood as the hill grew more saturated, at least a few residents decided to stay on.
Dennis Sanderson, 50, said his reaction to the evacuation order was "we'll ride it out," but by nightfall he was undecided and keeping an eye on the weather because of forecasts for more rainfall.
About 13 homes were evacuated Friday night in Palmdale in northern Los Angeles County, where a mudslide closed a major road.
Thunder echoed and hard rain fell late Friday night on Hollywood, which was abuzz with preparations for Sunday evening's Academy Awards and hopes the rain will have moved on by then as expected.
(MORE: See How Long California's Rain Will Last)
Rainfall totals in parts of California were impressive, especially in areas that typically don't receive much, but not nearly enough to offer long-term relief from a long-running drought.
Three inches fell on Bel Air and Pasadena, and an urban flash-flood warning that was sent to cell phones was called late Friday night for central Los Angeles County.
Downtown Los Angeles received more than 2 inches, doubling its total for the rainy season that began in July, the National Weather Service said. Yet the city remained 7 inches below the normal 11 inches.
"Downtown L.A. has picked up a total of 3.35 inches of rain Wednesday through Friday," said weather.com senior meteorologist Jonathan Erdman. "That's the heaviest rain event for the city in almost three years. A Mar. 19-27, 2011 event dumped 3.80 inches in the 'City of Angels'."
Meanwhile to the east in San Bernardino County, a levee failed and put eight houses in danger of serious flooding, but county fire crews were working to protect them and no evacuations were ordered.
Rain also fell along the central coast, the San Francisco Bay area and Central Valley.
Winter storm warnings were in effect in the Sierra Nevada. About 15 inches of new snow had fallen by mid-day Friday at the University of California, Berkeley's Central Sierra Snow Lab located at 6,900 feet elevation.
(MORE: California's Drought in One Shocking Image)
A tornado warning was issued for Sacramento, Yolo and Sutter Counties Friday night but was canceled soon after.
A tornado warning was also issued early Saturday morning for a part of eastern L.A. County, including the Colby burn area. "No tornado was spotted or confirmed, but quarter-size hail was observed in the city of Walnut just before 3:30 a.m. PT," said Erdman.
Numerous traffic accidents occurred on slick or flooded roads across California, including one about 60 miles east of Los Angeles involving a big rig whose driver died after falling from a freeway overpass.
Power outages hit about 32,000 customers, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and Southern California Edison said, but power was restored to most customers by Friday evening.
The storm was good news for other Californians who didn't have to worry about mudslides.
Kite-surfer Chris Strong braved pelting rain to take advantage of strong winds that gave him about an hour of fun over the pounding surf in Huntington Beach.
"I don't get to kite here in these conditions very often — only a handful of times — but you put them in the memory bank," he said.
(MORE: California's Drought in One Shocking Image)

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Street vendor, Candelaria Ventura, 55, sells umbrellas under heavy rain in downtown Los Angeles Friday, Feb. 28, 2014. At right, Sofia Morataya, 7, struggles with her umbrella. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)