ReportWire

Tag: Storm

  • TIMELINE: More downpours Saturday afternoon, possible thunderstorm with snowy peaks

    TIMELINE: More downpours Saturday afternoon, possible thunderstorm with snowy peaks

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    SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — A Level 1 storm is hitting the San Francisco Bay Area Saturday as Tahoe and the Sierra is under a blizzard warning. Expect showers, a cold afternoon and possible thunderstorms in the Bay Area.

    Live storm updates: Sugar Bowl in Sierra closed due to power outages, high winds

    LIVE: Track storm with Live Doppler 7

    ABC7 News meteorologist Lisa Argen has a breakdown of what to expect:

    Storm Timeline

    FROST ADVISORY Until 9 a.m. SUNDAY North Bay Interior Valleys, Sonoma Coastal Range.

    Temps as low as 36 degrees.

    WIND ADVISORY through 10 a.m.: 25-35 mph south westerly winds, gusting to 55 mph

    HIGH SURF ADVISORY: Until 4 p.m. Waves 15-20 feet. From the North Bay to Big Sur

    Showers continue this morning with cold afternoon highs only reaching the low 50s.

    Some sun today will work to bring a line of stronger showers and possible thunderstorms this afternoon. Rainfall will range from a quarter of in inch in San Jose to nearly an inch of rain if SF & the Santa Cruz Mountains.

    Low snow levels could bring a dusting of snow to Cobb Mountain, Mt. Hamilton, Mt. Diablo & possibly Mt. Tam.

    Overnight lows will be chilly, in the 30s & 40s with rain diminishing.

    BLIZZARD WARNING SIERRA NEVADA through 10 a.m. Sunday: 3-6 feet of snow for Lake Tahoe & 6-10 feet of snowfall above 7000 feet.

    70 -115 mph winds expected. Whiteout conditions, zero visibility.

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    If you’re on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live

    Copyright © 2024 KGO-TV. All Rights Reserved.

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    Lisa Argen

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  • First Alert Action Day: Blizzard conditions in the Sierra, travel not advised

    First Alert Action Day: Blizzard conditions in the Sierra, travel not advised

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    We’re talking snowfall totals of 5-12 feet for elevations above the 5,000′ level for this storm in what could be a top 5 snow producer.

    Blizzard Warnings for the Sierra went into effect Thursday morning, with snow and high winds moving in Thursday night. Expect snowfall rates of 2-4 inches per hour combined with damaging wind gusts of 60-80 mph – making for whiteout conditions, especially at elevations above 5,000′.

    Travel over the Sierra will be next to impossible on Friday. Anyone who ventures outside will risk becoming lost and disoriented in a whiteout, and anyone who must travel should pack a survival kit in their vehicle in the event of an emergency.

    This will not be a major storm for the Sacramento Valley.

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    Cecilio Padilla

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  • Cloudy skies, cooler temperatures and light rain expected across L.A. County this week

    Cloudy skies, cooler temperatures and light rain expected across L.A. County this week

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    After several days of sun, L.A. County is expected to see mostly cloudy skies and light rain this week, according to forecasters.

    There’s a chance of rain late Monday into early Tuesday, but the shower should only bring a quarter of an inch or less, said Mike Wofford, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

    “It should be quite a bit weaker than most of the storms we’ve had recently. No significant impacts are expected with it,” Wofford said.

    Temperatures are expected to range from the high 50s to the high 60s throughout much of the week, according to the weather service.

    The region is expected to see some sunny skies on Wednesday and Thursday before a stronger storm system rolls in on Friday, with temperatures dropping into the 50s over the weekend. Saturday is expected to remain mostly cloudy with a 40% chance of rain across the Los Angeles County area.

    Wofford said the Santa Monica Mountains, Hollywood Hills and hillsides in Palos Verdes will be the most vulnerable to landslides, but the risk won’t be as great as it was earlier this month, when monster storms pummeled the region.

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    Jack Flemming

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  • Another storm is coming to Southern California early next week. How big will it be?

    Another storm is coming to Southern California early next week. How big will it be?

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    Southern Californians can brace for another round of wet weather, with a storm expected to hit the region early next week to cap off a month of historically wet weather.

    The slow-moving storm is expected to reach the Los Angeles area by Monday night or Tuesday morning before tapering off later Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. It’s projected to drop between a quarter of an inch and half an inch of rain in coastal areas and valleys and up to an inch in the mountains.

    The storm isn’t expected to pack the same punch as the storms earlier this month.

    “It’s considerably weaker,” said Mike Wofford, a NWS meteorologist in Oxnard. “This would be a light storm even in a fairly quiet winter pattern.”

    But because the ground is still saturated from the back-to-back historic storms earlier this month that triggered debris and mud flows, damaged homes and killed several people across the state, there’s still the risk of landslides in areas adjacent to hills. That includes the Santa Monica Mountains, the San Gabriel Mountains, the Rancho Palos Verdes area and anywhere in the Hollywood Hills.

    “Landslides can happen at any time now that the grounds are so wet,” Wofford said. “Any additional rain would make it worse. That’s something people will have to live with for a while until things dry out.”

    Downtown Los Angeles has received 17.79 inches of rain since the water year began on Oct. 1 and 12.56 inches in February alone, making it the fourth-wettest February since the weather service started keeping records in 1877. This February is also the wettest month in 26 years and is tied for the seventh-wettest month ever.

    To put things into context, downtown L.A. usually gets about 10 inches by this time in the typical water year and about 15 inches over a 12-month period.

    “If we didn’t get any rain between now and October, we’d be almost three inches above the normal for the entire year,” Wofford said. “That’s telling.”

    Following three years of severe drought, California is now experiencing one of its wettest years on record. Elsewhere in the state, the storms dropped enough snow on the Sierra Nevada to eradicate fears of a “snow drought” and build up the snowpack to 86% of normal for the date.

    California’s major reservoirs are also at 118% of their average levels for this time of year.

    “Some of the reservoirs had to do releases ahead of approaching storms so they can take in the water that falls,” Wofford said. “That’s not something we normally have to deal with in a typical winter.”

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    Summer Lin

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  • Caltrans crews working to keep canyon routes to PCH clear during storm

    Caltrans crews working to keep canyon routes to PCH clear during storm

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    MALIBU, Calif. (KABC) — With this week’s storm shaking debris and mud loose from Southern California hillsides, Caltrans crews have been busy keeping canyon routes clear.

    Canyon routes from the San Fernando Valley and Ventura County to Malibu, including Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Malibu Canyon Road, remain open as of Tuesday afternoon.

    Caltrans crews were positioned in advance of the storm in areas known to be prone to flooding. They were staffing the area 24 hours a day, rotating in 12-hour shifts, checking drainage systems and carrying pumps in areas prone to flooding.

    “Everybody was pretty much all hands on deck,” said Caltrans spokesman Jim Medina.

    On Monday, falling boulders blocked at least one lane of Pacific Coast Highway just north of Topanga State Beach. By Tuesday the lanes were cleared.

    “I think we’re doing fairly well,” Medina said. “We still have to get through today and tomorrow.”

    In Ventura County, tourists and locals were watching massive waves break on the beach and splash up. In areas near where the river flowed into the ocean, the water appeared much muddier than usual.

    Authorities are asking Southern California drivers to stay off the roads during the current storm when possible. The roads remain slick, prone to flooding and damaged by potholes.

    Copyright © 2024 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved.

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    Sid Garcia

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  • Santa Anita cancels Monday’s Presidents’ Day race card due to stormy weather forecast

    Santa Anita cancels Monday’s Presidents’ Day race card due to stormy weather forecast

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    ARCADIA, Calif. (CNS) — Santa Anita Park has canceled Monday’s Presidents’ Day racing card due to the heavy rain in the forecast, track officials announced Saturday.

    The nine-race programs on Saturday and Sunday will go ahead as scheduled, with good weather predicted and first post time each day at 12:30 p.m., track officials said.

    Additionally, Santa Anita will be open on Monday for simulcast wagering in the Grandstand Paddock Room, beginning at 10 a.m. Free parking and admission are offered.

    The races that had been offered for Monday will now be offered as extra races Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 23-25.

    Copyright © 2024 by City News Service, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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    City News Service

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  • City of LA braces for second February storm

    City of LA braces for second February storm

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    The city of Los Angeles outlined preparations Saturday for the approaching storm, which is forecast to drop bursts of moderate to heavy rain on already soggy Southern California in the coming week.

    Mayor Karen Bass reported on the city’s comprehensive measures in place to manage the effects of the winter storm.

    “We have been working diligently to recover from the storm that hit us earlier this month by covering potholes, protecting saturated land and more. Now, we must remain prepared for the additional rainfall coming to Los Angeles in the coming days,” Bass said.

    “Our region has seen significant rainfall in recent weeks, which puts us at an increased risk of additional mudslides and power outages, so Angelenos, please stay prepared and stay off of the roads during the rain,” the mayor said. “We know the severe impact that weather can have on our roads and communities, and we are making sure Los Angeles is prepared and informed on behalf of our residents, including the unhoused Angelenos living on our streets, to get through this storm.”

    To help more unhoused people get out of the rain, the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Homelessness Solutions will make more hotel vouchers available than previously planned, and outreach workers began late this week to offer help with a particular focus on areas such as the Los Angeles River and Sepulveda Basin, where there is extreme flooding, Bass said. People who need to access services can dial 211.

    Doctors warn the public about Valley fever which is caused by spores of the fungus ‘coccidioides’ that live in the soil and can thrive after a rainy season. Gordon Tokumatsu reports for the NBC4 News on Feb. 15, 2024.

    The Department of Water and Power, police and fire departments were preparing to respond to flooding, mudslides, downed power lines, fallen trees and lightning strikes. The department warned people to use caution around downed or dangling wires or poles and always assume they are live, and to avoid touching them. People were urged to call 911 to report down or dangling wires.

    The Department of Building and Safety conducted grading assessments on mudslide-prone private property to identify risks and prepare with owners to manage mud and debris while city crews have installed sandbags and K-rails as needed, Bass said.

    L.A. Animal Services had rescue teams ready to help evacuate and rescue animals. Pet owners were encouraged to make sure pets are inside during heavy rainfall, they are micro-chipped and wearing ID tags.

    Life-threatening emergencies can be reported through 911. Angelenos can request help with less-urgent roadway flooding, tree limbs blocking roadways or mudslides by dialing 311 or by going online. People who want to receive local alerts about roadway closures, flooding and other storm impacts can register for NotifyLA.

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    City News Service

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  • How did forecasters get it so right predicting L.A.’s biggest storm of the winter?

    How did forecasters get it so right predicting L.A.’s biggest storm of the winter?

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    When it came to forecasting L.A.’s biggest winter storm of the season, local meteorologists had a secret weapon: experience.

    For sure, there was plenty of computer modeling available to indicate the Southland was in for a severe — and potentially dangerous — soaking. But based on their expertise, forecasters at the National Weather Service in Oxnard correctly anticipated that even the machine-calculated, eye-popping rain totals were probably an underprediction.

    When it comes to such a serious storm event, getting the forecast as close to correct as possible isn’t just a matter of pride. Forecasters go to great lengths to assess a storm’s strength so they can accurately inform the public about the dangers it may pose.

    “We don’t want to cry wolf and say, ‘Oh, we’re gonna get record amounts of rain, catastrophic flooding,’ and then you get about half what you think. And people are like, ‘That was no big deal,’” said Joe Sirard, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Oxnard. “And then they’ll tune us out. We don’t want that to happen.”

    In this case, “We went a little bit above some of the models and, you know, we were right,” Sirard said.

    A person walks under an umbrella at L.A. Live in Los Angeles.

    (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

    Sirard said the first indications of a potentially significant rain event emerged about 10 to 12 days ahead of the storm’s actual arrival early this month.

    To get an idea of a storm’s possible strength, forecasters look at data generated by supercomputers that produce “ensemble forecasts” made from a series of model runs based on slightly tweaked initial conditions, Sirard said.

    But the forecast is quite uncertain that far out.

    Say you’re trying to map out a forecast 10 days from now, when it looks like a storm is brewing. Half of the model runs might suggest 5 inches of rain will fall over a three-day period, but the other half could suggest less precipitation — sometimes significantly so.

    Data like that might be too noisy to say anything with a great degree of confidence.

    But as the storm draws closer, those models will start to align a bit more, giving forecasters a better idea of what to reasonably expect.

    “And so that would increase our confidence levels,” Sirard said. “Once you get in that seven-day window … if these ensemble models are still showing, say, 60% hypothetically, 5 or more inches in a three-day period — already, our antennas are up. And it’s like, ‘OK, we got a potential for something significant coming in.’”

    As forecasters get even closer to the storm’s arrival, they can employ higher-resolution, shorter-range forecast models.

    Mud and debris flow covers part of a parked car.

    Mud and debris flow from hills caused by heavy rain covered part of a parked car and knocked down the garage door of a home in the 10400 block of West Quito Lane in Los Angeles.

    (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

    At a certain point, there was enough confidence for forecasters to post an attention-grabbing warning on social media on Feb. 1, three days before the storm’s arrival: “We are expecting a major storm with dangerous, even life-threatening impacts!”

    In subsequent days, local law enforcement and elected officials — from the city of Los Angeles to Santa Barbara County — held media briefings about the dire forecasts that included National Weather Service meteorologists.

    Such coordination between meteorologists and politicians hasn’t always happened. Unforgettably, although the National Weather Service office in Monterey issued a flood watch three days before a significant storm landed on Dec. 31, 2022, San Francisco officials were caught unprepared by a record deluge that flooded swaths of low-lying parts of the city and left residents and business owners furious.

    There have also been memorable misses. Fourteen years ago, an unexpectedly powerful, slow-moving rainstorm unleashed a torrent of mud that inundated more than 40 homes in La Cañada Flintridge, a far cry from an initial forecast of a light to moderate rainstorm.

    The models for the storm earlier this month did adjust in the days leading up to the event. Initial projections about three to five days ahead of the storm suggested Santa Barbara and Ventura counties would get hit the hardest. But as it drew closer, there were growing indications that Los Angeles County would bear the brunt, said Ryan Kittell, another meteorologist in the weather service’s Oxnard office.

    That ended up being the case.

    The weather service also made late adjustments to what the computer models were showing. Over a four-day period, models said to expect 8 to 10 inches of rain in the San Gabriel Mountains and 4 to 5 inches of rain in downtown L.A.

    Meteorologists thought the computer models were underpredicting the projected rainfall totals, so they added a couple of inches to that forecast, Sirard said.

    Their instincts proved correct. The weather service’s final forecast was for 8 to 14 inches of rain in the mountains and foothills through Feb. 6. And that was very accurate — the highest rainfall amount recorded in the San Gabriel Mountains over that period was 13.86 inches.

    “A lot of us have been here for 25 years. So we know the weather patterns of what can cause the maximum amount of rainfall here,” Sirard said. “You get the high amount of water vapor in the atmosphere, you get the strong jetstream aloft nearby, you have the strong southeast to south low-level flow — all that moisture throughout the atmosphere, from the ground to 20,000 feet or more — all gets squeezed up into the mountains.”

    In some areas, the storm proved to be a rainmaker more prolific than even experienced meteorologists had anticipated.

    Before the storm began, the weather service had forecast 6.37 inches of rain would fall over a four-day period in downtown Los Angeles. Some people might’ve been hard-pressed to believe such an astonishing amount: On average, downtown gets 14.25 inches of rain in an entire year.

    For the four-day period ending at 9 p.m. Feb. 6, 8.66 inches of rain fell on downtown L.A.

    Still, the range of the forecast totals helped accurately guide the kinds of warnings that needed to be issued. Once forecast totals in lower-lying cities reach “5, 6, 7, 8 inches, the impacts are pretty much the same” in terms of flooding and landslide risk, Kittell said.

    That messaging helped fuel substantial storm preparedness, so officials and residents were not caught completely off guard when land began sliding in a number of hillside communities across L.A. County, including north of Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Westwood, as well as in Baldwin Hills and Hacienda Heights.

    Pre-storm warnings also let residents know to stock and stack sandbags. And officials readied response teams like swift-water rescue crews that were needed across Southern California.

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    Rong-Gong Lin II

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  • Weekend storm in Northern California brings downpour of rain, snow, winds for days to come

    Weekend storm in Northern California brings downpour of rain, snow, winds for days to come

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    (FOX40.COM) –A beneficial storm that includes soaking rain, some snow, and gusty winds is making its way to Northern California, according to FOX40’s chief meteorologist, Adam Epstein.
    • First of two storms to hit Sacramento area on Saturday

    “A weak atmospheric river will impact our area on Saturday. It will begin with showers in the morning, then heavier rain in the midday/afternoon,” Epstein said.

    The heaviest rainfall is forecast from 3-8 p.m. on Saturday followed by tapers overnight.

    Epstein said there will be a “solid soaking of rain, but no flooding concerns,” with an estimate of .25 – .75 inches of rain forecast to fall on Saturday, however, things change on Sunday.

    Gusty winds are also in the forecast.

    “It will be breezy, but gusts should remain below a damaging threshold,” Epstein said. “Gusts will be near 30 mph.”

    A more impactful storm is forecast to last from Sunday to Tuesday. Showers are expected to return Sunday afternoon with heavy rain possible on Sunday evening, according to Epstein. A flood watch will be in effect for Sunday’s storm.

    Periods of heavy rain are also forecast for Monday which will likely be accompanied by thunderstorms in the Valley and Foothills. One to three inches of rain is forecast in the Valley and two to five in the Foothills.

    For those in the Sierra, light snow is forecast to fall on Saturday.

    “Snow totals won’t turn many heads. I’m forecasting a modest two-eight inches of snow,” Epstein said. “There’s a ‘Winter Weather Advisory’ in effect above 6000 feet from 10 a.m. on Saturday to 4 a.m. Sunday, indicating difficult travel in that window.”

    A stronger snow storm will arrive late Sunday and last through Tuesday, according to Epstein. One to three feet of snow is forecast to fall from 4 p.m. on Sunday to 10 a.m. on Wednesday.

    “Snow level begins high near 7000 feet Sunday night and Monday morning,” Epstein said. “Drops to 5500 feet by the end of Monday and lingers near there through Tuesday.”

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    Veronica Catlin

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  • Dramatic drone footage shows luxury homes on edge of California cliff

    Dramatic drone footage shows luxury homes on edge of California cliff

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    The three multimillion-dollar estates perched high on the edge of a Dana Point bluff boast some of the most magnificent views in Orange County: unobstructed panoramas of the crystal blue Pacific, boats moored in the harbor and, on a clear day, Santa Catalina.

    But back-to-back rainstorms have prompted fresh concerns about the homes on the aptly named Scenic Drive. The same steep cliff that falls away under the properties — giving them the illusion of being on the edge of the Earth — has withered under the atmospheric river precipitation that pounded Southern California last week. A portion of the cliff leading up to the blufftop homes washed away in the torrent.

    But though their perch appears precarious, none of the homes have been evacuated or deemed too dangerous to occupy — even with more rain in the forecast, officials said.

    Dr. Lewis Bruggeman, who owns the home just above the slide area, told KCAL-TV Channel 9 that his house is “not threatened and it will not be red-tagged.”

    “The city agrees that there’s no major structural issue with the house right now,” he told the station. Bruggeman did not respond to a request for comment from The Times on Tuesday.

    The slide erased the greenery that just recently backed up to Bruggeman’s home, a 9,700-square-foot compound estimated to be worth nearly $16 million, leaving only sandy soil behind. On Tuesday, piles of rocks and dirt sat on the shoreline below.

    An aerial view of three large homes in Dana Point after a cliffside gave way following recent heavy rains. A satellite image from Google Earth shows the cliffside before the landslide. (Photo by Allen J. Schaben; photo animation by Lorena Elebee / Los Angeles Times)

    The city’s geotechnical engineer and a building inspector have visited the home to assess the slope failure, according to Dana Point officials.

    “Engineers who already surveyed the home said there was no damage and there is no imminent threat to the structure, which is really good news,” said Mayor Jamey Federico. “So quite frankly, it looks a lot scarier than it really is.”

    The entire property, including all the way down the cliff to the high tide line, is privately owned, he added.

    Many cities in south and coastal Orange County have a long history of landslides, particularly during wet weather.

    In Laguna Beach, a 1978 landslide destroyed more than 20 homes in Bluebird Canyon. The same area slid again in 2005, destroying 17 homes.

    After a winter of heavy rains in 1998, several homes slid down a hillside below Via Estoril in the Niguel Summit neighborhood of Laguna Niguel. Homeowners said their properties had shown signs of moving for months before they toppled down the hill.

    More recent slides in San Clemente have damaged the historic Casa Romantica and periodically interrupted train service between Orange and San Diego counties.

    Last week’s storm dumped 7.5 inches of rain in Dana Point. The city has received about 9.5 inches since Jan. 1, said Casey Oswant, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in San Diego.

    Strong downpours triggered more than 500 mudslides in the city of Los Angeles alone and damaged more than 45 homes and buildings.

    And more wet weather is on the horizon.

    Based on current models, Orange County is likely to see more rain from the system moving into the region this weekend than other areas such as San Diego, though forecasters say it’s too early to say exactly how potent the storm will be.

    “There’s potential for this to be another prolonged rain event,” Oswant said.

    Steve Viani, a civil engineer who has experience with landslides, said tarps should be placed over the bare soil on the Dana Point property and pipes should be installed on gutters and downspouts to carry water away from the building foundation ahead of this weekend’s storm.

    Prolonged rain on the bare soil could further damage the slope, he said, adding that it could “give way at any time.”

    Visitors hiked along the adjacent Dana Point Headlands nature preserve on Tuesday morning, many completely unaware of the damage to the cliff, which is only visible from the ocean.

    Billy Prescott, 56, who spent 25 years living in Dana Point before relocating to Idaho, said he’d come to expect landslides and ground movement along the coast — particularly during El Niño years.

    “It’s just Mother Nature,” he said. “You don’t always win going up against her.”

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    Hannah Fry

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  • After a brief reprieve more wet weather is on the way for Southern California

    After a brief reprieve more wet weather is on the way for Southern California

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    Crisp morning temperatures will make way for sunny skies across Southern California this week, but don’t stash those umbrellas and rain boots away quite yet. More wet weather is on the horizon.

    Temperatures throughout the week are expected to range from the mid- to upper 60s along the coast, right around normal for February, said Mike Wofford, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.

    An offshore flow, which keeps air moving from land to sea, will weaken in the coming days, allowing for a chilly sea breeze to sweep across the region and drop daytime high temperatures a degree or two into the mid-60s. Overnight temperatures are expected to be particularly brisk, dropping to the low to mid-40s in some areas, according to the weather service.

    “It’ll be kind of chilly in the morning, but it’s going to be a pretty nice week for the most part,” Wofford said.

    Forecasters anticipate a storm system will begin showering the region with rain by Sunday. It’s not clear how much precipitation it could bring, but Wofford said early estimates show anywhere from 2 to 4 inches of rain in the valley and coastal areas.

    Last week an atmospheric river, brought five days of drenching rain and heavy snow to California. The storm, made more severe because of El Nino and climate change, is the largest so far in the state this winter.

    Strong downpours triggered more than 500 mudslides in the city of Los Angeles alone. It damaged more than 45 homes or buildings, flooded roads, forced dozens of evacuations and knocked out power to residents, sometimes for days. Nine people died in the storm.

    It’s still too early to determine what all this wet weather will mean for California’s water supply.

    Recent storms have filled the state’s largest reservoirs to 118% of their historical average. Statewide precipitation is 102% of average for the date, with more than 13 inches falling since the start of the water year on Oct. 1, according to state data.

    The storms also haven’t brought enough snow to replenish the Sierra Nevada snowpack, which remains a key component of the state’s water supply. Snow is anticipated in this weekend’s storm, but it’s not clear just how much, forecasters say.

    The latest series of storms boosted the snowpack statewide to to 76% of average for the date. But, it remains only about halfway to its April 1 peak, according to data provided by the California Department of Water Resources.

    “It’ll be a decent storm and certainly an above average storm,” Wofford said of the system moving into California over the weekend. “We’re not confident yet if it’s going to be anything like what we saw last time, but there’s some potential of that.”

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    Hannah Fry

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  • Your house has water damage from the storm. Now what?

    Your house has water damage from the storm. Now what?

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    For thousands across the Southland, this week’s storms brought unwanted water into their houses, condos and businesses due to flooding, leaky roofs or other causes.

    The task now for many property owners is to dry out their interior spaces and prevent further damage due to mold and mildew. Not just an unsightly and smelly nuisance, mold is a potential health hazard that can require costly additional repairs if it’s not addressed properly and relatively quickly. Once it does appear, it’s imperative that you take steps to address it before it spreads.

    To get some answers about what to do when you’ve got moisture in the walls, floors, ceilings or insulation of your home or business, The Times spoke to mold remediation professionals and other experts.

    Here’s what they said:

    1. Don’t make it worse

    The first thing you should do is make sure you don’t exacerbate the problem. If money’s tight, it may be tempting to try to fix the problem yourself.

    If you’re lucky and mold hasn’t started to grow, it may be O.K. to run some fans or pull up a damp patch of carpet. But if areas of moisture remain, mold will likely follow within a few days.

    Once you start to see visible mold or smell its telltale dank odor, it may already be too late to take purely preventive measures. Even just running fans could spread mold spores throughout your home, as could removing moldy materials.

    2. Call a professional

    As soon as you can after an event like a storm or a pipe break causes water to pour into your home or business, you should get in touch with someone who knows what they’re doing.

    One good option is to contact a full-service water damage recovery and mold remediation company. These firms are inundated with calls after inclement weather, so the sooner you call them the better. They’ll start out by talking you through what you’re facing and will typically send someone to assess the damage and how to address it.

    You’ll also need to consider whether — and when — to get in touch with your insurance company. This is a personal decision, but there are some important questions to consider before you make that call. For instance, what’s your deductible and how much do you expect the bill to repair the damage to be? Do you have flood insurance and what exactly does your policy cover? If you anticipate costly repairs, it might even be worth consulting with a property damage attorney to help you navigate the claims process.

    Joel Moss, chief business development officer for Paul Davis Restoration in Santa Clarita, said he recommends a property owner’s first call be to a company that can come to your home and determine what’s needed.

    “We can come out and assess what’s going on and give them some professional feedback,” he said, “rather than calling their insurance company first and then finding out that it may not be a covered claim, or if the damage is so small that it’s not going to be beneficial to run the deductible.”

    3. Water mitigation

    If it’s soon enough after the storm and the water hasn’t permeated too deeply, you might be looking at a minimally invasive mitigation process, according to Shay Benhamo, office manager at Green Planet Restoration in Chatsworth.

    By removing moisture before mold can take hold, you can avoid the high costs and lengthy processes often associated with mold remediation. Sometimes just mitigating water can cost a few thousand dollars. But it’s always less expensive and disruptive than waiting until there’s mold.

    “Sometimes you can just dry it out with machines,” Benhamo said, “and sometimes you have to actually remove wet material, like two feet of wet drywall.”

    4. Mold remediation

    There are hundreds of varieties of mold that can show up in indoor spaces, and their appearance can vary widely. Mold can be blue, green, white — essentially any color. If it’s black, you should be particularly concerned, but the feared black mold is not the only variety that can cause respiratory problems and other health issues.

    Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean there isn’t mold. If you know you’ve had significant moisture inside your home or business for three or more days, or if you smell it in the air, you’ll likely need to pursue mold remediation.

    All water and moisture will first need to be mitigated, and any moldy materials will need to be removed. That can mean losing parts of your floor, walls and even furniture and other belongings.

    Paul Davis Restoration’s standards require that when mold is found in a floor, ceiling or wall, the moldy portion must be cut out and removed, Moss said, along with two extra feet in every direction past the part where mold can be seen.

    After the materials are removed, the next step is rebuilding the affected portions of your home or business. Full-service water recovery and mold remediation providers can handle that work, or a capable contractor can be brought in to handle the reconstruction process.

    5. Prevention

    You’ve spent thousands of dollars on water mitigation, mold remediation and reconstruction. But what’s stopping water from entering your home or business again next time there’s heavy rains or flooding?

    It’s essential that you find an engineer who can work with you to ensure proper drainage if flooding or blocked outdoor drains were the issue. If a roof leak or other structural problem was the cause of your property’s water damage, you’ll need to work with a contractor who can reinforce your roof or other parts of your home or business to ensure they’re able to keep water at bay next time there’s a torrential rain and flooding event.

    Because if there’s anything Southern Californians have learned these last couple of years, it’s that there will be a next time.

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    Connor Sheets

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  • Missing Marines found dead

    Missing Marines found dead

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    Missing Marines found dead – CBS News


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    The five Marines who went missing while traveling aboard a helicopter from Nevada to California have been found dead, officials said Thursday morning. A U.S. military helicopter that went missing while carrying the five Marines from Nevada to California had been located, authorities said Wednesday.

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  • Updates of SoCal storm: Flash flood warning issued for parts of LA, Ventura counties

    Updates of SoCal storm: Flash flood warning issued for parts of LA, Ventura counties

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    LOS ANGELES (KABC) — The powerful winter storm that brought heavy rain and snow to much of Southern California left a trail of destruction in some areas, including dangerous mudslides and flood damage, and more rain is on the way.

    Flash flood warning in LA, Ventura counties

    The National Weather Service Wednesday evening issued a flash flood warning for parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties through 3 a.m. Thursday. The warning covers cities such as Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Malibu, San Fernando, Glendale and as far east as Arcadia. As the storm moved east, another flash flood warning was issued that covered Inglewood, down to Long Beach and stretching east into the San Gabriel Valley.

    A severe thunderstorm warning was also issued for parts of L.A. and Ventura counties that covered several cities such as Thousand Oaks, Fillmore, Castaic, Agua Dulce, Malibu, San Fernando, Montrose, Beverly Hills, Inglewood and Redondo Beach. The warning expired at 8:45 p.m. Wednesday.

    Caltrans prepares for possible Grapevine closures

    There was a bit of relief for drivers passing through the Grapevine Wednesday morning after multiple days of rain and snow made for dangerous road conditions. Caltrans, however, is preparing for up to 3 inches of snow on the 5 Freeway in Tejon Pass through Thursday morning.

    ABC7 monitored road conditions on the 5 Freeway Wednesday and captured light rain falling just past Pyramid Lake. There will be a chance of some rain by Wednesday evening, with about a three-hour period of steady rain and mountain snow, according to forecasters.

    The 5 Freeway through the Grapevine remains open but authorities urge drivers to stay alert.

    Amid a relentless storm that continued to inundate Southern California, Caltrans is preparing for up to 3 inches of snow on the 5 Freeway in Tejon Pass through Thursday morning.

    Downed trees topple power poles, electrical wires in Brentwood

    Amid a relentless storm that continued to inundate Southern California, massive trees fell over in a Brentwood neighborhood and also took down electrical poles and electrical wires. No injuries were reported.

    At the scene of one toppled tree on Bundy Drive, 11 Los Angeles Department of Water and Power vehicles were at the location on Tuesday morning as crews worked to repair the severed power lines.

    Farther up the road, near Bundy Drive and Saltair Avenue, another tree fell and blocked vehicle and pedestrian traffic. As a result, some nannies who are employed at homes in the area told ABC7 that they had some difficulty getting to work.

    Amid a relentless storm that continued to inundate Southern California, massive trees that toppled in a Brentwood neighborhood took down electrical poles and electrical wires.

    After the massive eucalyptus tree fell, “then all these helicopters came and we knew something was wrong,” said a man who lives in the neighborhood. “And it was still raining, so we really didn’t want to go out of the house because it was very severe.

    “We thought maybe the storm had finished yesterday, but it came up with a vengeance again this morning.”

    Some of the tree’s roots measured as long as 9 feet.

    The incident knocked out power to dozens of customers in the area.

    Mudslide prompts evacuation of 3 homes in rain-soaked Hacienda Heights, fire department says

    Three homes were evacuated in Hacienda Heights on Tuesday morning after a portion of a hillside gave way during an intense storm that has drenched the region. The incident was reported along Gotera Drive around 9:45 a.m. Firefighters arrived at the scene and found a mudslide in the backyard of one house.

    During that investigation, a secondary mudslide occurred and “came crashing down into the neighbor’s house,” said Los Angeles County Fire Department Engineer Christian Reynoso, a spokesman for the agency.

    Both of those affected homes were evacuated, along with a third one at the bottom of the hill that was evacuated as a precaution. No injuries were reported.

    Pothole-riddled roads delay drivers in Inland Empire

    Road closures and potholes were an issue across the Inland Empire Tuesday as the rain continued to douse the region.

    In Hesperia, Rock Springs Road – where the pavement crosses over the Mojave River – was closed due to moving water. But that didn’t stop some drivers. Some of them were spotted crossing the river anyway, despite the rushing waters.

    “On the way to take my wife to work, there’s a wash, and they have the road closed, but people drive right around it, and every time, they get stuck in it,” said one resident who spoke with Eyewitness News.

    Road closures and potholes were an issue across the Inland Empire Tuesday as the rain continued to douse the region.

    Mariposa Road was also closed alongside the 15 Freeway. Further south in Summit Valley, Highway 173 was closed for miles with mud and debris flowing across this road. After days of rain, many of the roads began to crumble, forming potholes.

    At the Cajon Summit, rain turned into snow around noon on Tuesday. The snow level dropped quickly, with fresh, heavy snow coming down in places like Crestline and Lake Arrowhead.

    The snow level dropped quickly on Tuesday, with fresh, heavy snow coming down in places like Crestline and Lake Arrowhead.

    Snow also fell in Wrightwood, where resorts are gearing up for the weekend, which they say could be a busy one.

    More snow blankets mountain communities

    Heavy snow continued to fall in Southern California mountain communities Tuesday as a winter storm warning remained in effect.

    The region could see more snow fall through at least Tuesday night, but possibly through Thursday. As much as 3 feet of snow could fall at elevations above 7,000 feet, 20 inches at 6,000 feet and 8 inches at 5,000 feet.

    The accumulation of fluffy snow is a welcome sight for resorts in Wrightwood, Running Springs and Big Bear, but driving conditions going up the mountain were precarious with icy roads and low visibility. Chains are required for drivers heading up.

    Mountain High Resort on Monday reported that up to 20 inches of fresh snow fell within 24 hours.

    The accumulation of fluffy snow is a welcome sight for resorts in Wrightwood, Running Springs and Big Bear, but driving conditions going up the mountain are precarious.

    Landslide in La Mirada damages backyard

    A major landslide in La Mirada caused a retaining wall to collapse, leaving the backyard of a home nearly destroyed.

    It happened at a home on La Mirada Boulevard, just north of Rosecrans Avenue.

    Video obtained by Eyewitness News showed debris – including bricks, dirt, mud and tree branches – scattered across the street, blocking a portion of the roadway.

    A burst of rain pounded the already-saturated ground in La Mirada Tuesday morning, causing major problems for one home.

    A backyard gazebo along with some pieces of outdoor furniture were damaged during the collapse, but crews ran into a bit of trouble with the home’s jacuzzi. After the wall collapsed, it was left sitting just on the edge of the hill. Crews spent time working to push the jacuzzi as far back away from the edge to avoid it from falling onto the street.

    Crews remained on the scene late Tuesday morning to continue their cleanup efforts.

    No injuries were reported.

    President Biden pledges federal support for California

    President Joe Biden spoke by phone with Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, according to ABC News. The president said he is committed to helping communities impacted by the storms with “any and all federal support requested.”

    “We’ll get any help on the way as soon as you guys request it, so just let me know,” Biden told Bass in a telephone call during her late Monday afternoon briefing.

    Stranded in the Sepulveda Basin

    Firefighters rescued a man who was left stranded in high waters in the Sepulveda Basin just north of Burbank Boulevard. AIR7 HD was flying over the basin when we found the driver, who climbed onto the hood of his vehicle to try to get help.

    Firefighters rescued a man who was left stranded in high flood waters in the Sepulveda Basin just north of Burbank.

    Dramatic rescue in Pacoima caught on video

    A dramatic rescue was captured on video after a man got stuck in the Pacoima Wash Monday while trying to save his dog.

    According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, crews responded to several bridges and access points and found the dog, who managed to swim safely to the edge. The dog owner, however, couldn’t get out.

    LAFD Air Ops lowered a rescuer into the water, who was able to grab the man.

    Fortunately, the dog managed to swim to safety, but the man couldn’t get out.

    He was hoisted into the aircraft and rushed to a local hospital. His dog was taken to a local shelter for temporary care for minor injuries. It’s unclear if the dog owner suffered any injuries.

    New flash flood warning for L.A., Ventura counties

    A new flash flood warning was issued Monday afternoon, covering a wider area of Los Angeles County and parts of Ventura County.

    This week’s storm caused some flooding and landslides in Ventura County but the damage was not as serious as feared.

    The warning will remain in effect until 6 p.m. and covers the west central area of L.A. County and southeastern Ventura County. Some areas that will experience flash flooding include Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, North Hollywood, Burbank, Van Nuys, Universal City, Northridge, Griffith Park, Encino, Santa Clarita, Chatsworth, Woodland Hills, Pasadena, Alhambra, Mount Wilson, Agoura Hills, Altadena, Pacoima, Sunland and Sylmar.

    The National Weather Service said as of 1 p.m., radars indicated moderate to heavy rainfall moving into much of the area.

    Destructive debris flow in Beverly Crest

    From damaging mudslides to a gas line issue, the weekend storm left quite a mess for residents in Beverly Glen, Beverly Crest and other surrounding areas.

    Fifteen people, including children, in Beverly Crest were displaced after a massive debris flow damaged multiple homes.

    Swift water rescues across Inland Empire

    Constant, heavy rain washed out roads across the Inland Empire overnight. In San Bernardino County, creeks overflowed and people had to be rescued.

    In the Cajon Pass, the driver of a SUV pulling a trailer tried to drive through a road overtaken by water just west of the 15 Freeway around 1 a.m. Monday.

    They didn’t make it and had to call 911 to be rescued.

    In the Cajon Pass, the driver of a SUV pulling a trailer tried to drive through a road overtaken by water just west of the 15 Freeway.

    “They were screaming for their life. It was by far the scariest moment they said they had ever been in,” said Chris Prater with the San Bernardino County Fire Department.

    Prater said it was one of the scariest incidents he’s ever seen.

    “It’s not just straight water coming down like you would see in a channel or a swimming pool… It was boulders, trees, lots of debris coming down the hillside that impeded our rescue efforts.”

    He added the incident checked off every common denominator for a fatal accident.

    “These three individuals that were rescued were extremely lucky to make it out of that situation alive.”

    Later in the morning, crews in Riverside worked to rescue a man in the flooded Santa Ana River under the Van Buren Boulevard overpass.

    Flash flood warning issued for Topanga Canyon area

    The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for Topanga, Lake Sherwood and Glenview. The warning is in effect until 3 p.m.

    People are asked to get to higher ground and avoid walking or driving through flooded areas.

    A creek that runs along Topanga Canyon Boulevard in the Santa Monica Mountains turned into a raging river Monday, resulting in a mud flow near Robinson Road that trapped cars. Nine people were rescued.

    Malibu schools closed

    All Malibu schools will be closed Monday due to the severe weather battering the region, according to the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District.

    Officials say road closures in the area affected the ability for some staff to get to campuses.

    Meanwhile, Santa Monica school will remain open.

    Cars trapped on flooded streets in Brentwood

    Officials are urging people to stay away from flooded roads after some drivers had to be rescued from flooded streets from in areas like Brentwood.

    Several cars became trapped in deep water along San Vicente Boulevard between Montana Avenue and Bundy Drive. Tow trucks were called out to pull the cars out, but more kept trying to drive through.

    It was a similar scene over in nearby Westwood at Sunset Boulevard and Stone Canyon Road.

    At least three cars were stuck after the street became inundated with deep rainwater.

    Officials are urging people to stay away from flooded roads after some drivers had to be rescued from flooded streets from in areas like Brentwood.

    Topanga Canyon receives 9 inches of rain

    An evacuation order was issued for areas along Santa Maria Road north of Topanga Canyon due to high risk of mud and debris flows. The order will remain in effect until 6 p.m. Tuesday.

    Meanwhile, evacuation warnings have been issued for several unincorporated parts of L.A. County near the Agua Fire, Bobcat Fire (specifically the north end), Lake Fire and Owen Fire burn scars. See more information on the warnings here.

    All evacuation warnings will be in effect starting 10 a.m. Sunday through 6 p.m. Tuesday.

    Downtown L.A. received 4.1 inches of rain on Sunday, passing the “daily record of 2.55 (inches) set in 1927,” the National Weather Service tweeted.

    Evacuations were ordered in the Fryman Canyon area of Studio City as a mudslide damaged two homes.

    Mudslide damages 2 homes in Studio City

    Evacuations were ordered in the Fryman Canyon area of Studio City as a mudslide damaged two homes, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. So far, no injuries have been reported but mud and debris covered the road.

    Sixteen people and a total of nine homes were evacuated.

    Just after midnight, LAFD tweeted that three homes were impacted by a debris flow on Boris Drive in the Encino/Tarzana area. Residents in the immediate area were being evacuated.

    Angelenos urged to stay home

    Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency for eight counties in Southern California – Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Diego and San Luis Obispo counties. The emergency proclamation includes provisions authorizing 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.

    Due to heavy rain, the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for central and western Los Angeles County that expires at 12:01 a.m. Monday.

    Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass urged Angelenos to stay home Sunday and Monday, and said the city has taken a range of preemptive measures, including placing the city’s Emergency Operations Center at Level 2.

    Bass and other top city and county officials gathered at a Sunday afternoon news conference, urging the public to stay off roads and to obey all evacuation orders.

    LAUSD keeps schools open Monday

    Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said the district planned to keep schools open Monday, with the exception of Vinedale Elementary School in Sun Valley. Carvalho added that district officials would continue to monitor the storm, and plans could change later Sunday night.

    On Sunday evening, the California State University system announced some local campuses would be closed on Monday. Cal State Los Angeles, Cal State Northridge, Cal State Long Beach and Cal State Fullerton will be holding classes remotely on Monday.

    Areas that have seen damaging flooding during past storms are gearing up.

    Here’s a breakdown of evacuation orders and warnings currently in effect:

    Fryman Canyon area of Studio City was ordered to evacuate Sunday.

    Ventura County evacuations

    Mandatory evacuations were ordered for residents in the unincorporated Ojai area, including Matilija Canyon, North Fork and Camino Cielo.

    Evacuation warnings were issued for the following areas:

    • Ventura RV Resort
    • Community of Foster Park/Camp Chaffee
    • Old Creek Road
    • Structures on Grada Avenue and Truelo Avenue in unincorporated Camarillo

    WATCH: Evacuations issued as storm starts to pummel SoCal

    Evacuation orders and warnings are in effect for portions of Southern California due to a powerful storm.

    Santa Maria Road evacuations

    Officials issued an evacuation order for residents living on Santa Maria Road to Topanga Canyon due to the high risk of mud or debris flows in the area.

    Evacuation orders were also issued for the Owen Fire and Agua Fire burn areas.

    La Tuna Canyon evacuations

    An evacuation warning was upgraded to a mandatory order for residents along La Tuna Canyon Road in Sun Valley. The affected area encompasses Horse Haven to the north, Martindale to the east, Primrose to the south and Ledge to the west.

    Several evacuation centers have been established.

    Santa Barbara County evacuations

    Evacuation orders are in place in several parts of Santa Barbara. Officials are ordering people in those areas to leave by 2 p.m. Sunday.

    The evacuation areas include areas along waterways associated with the Thomas, Cave and Alisal burn areas and properties in the vicinity of Sycamore Creek, from Stanwood Drive down to parts of Ninos Drive, in the city of Santa Barbara. The incoming storm has the potential to produce flash flooding, debris flows and landslides.

    L.A. County burn scar area evacuations

    Evacuation warnings were issued for areas of unincorporated L.A.

    Duarte evacuations

    An evacuation warning will go into effect for some residents around the Fish Fire burn scar area in Duarte. The order will go into effect at 6 p.m. Sunday for residents on Melcanyon Road between Brookridge Road and Fish Canyon Road.

    The warning will be in place through 10 a.m. Tuesday.

    How much is it going to rain?

    The multiple-day storm could drop 3 to 6 inches of rain in coastal and valley areas, and 6 to 12 inches in the mountains, with much of that downpour occurring in a 24- to 36-hour period between Sunday into Monday, the NWS said.

    “Historically, rainfall of this magnitude creates major hydrologic problems in our area and there’s no reason to think this won’t happen with this event,” forecasters said.

    The heavy rain will be accompanied by strong winds in many areas, blowing at speeds of 30 to 50 mph in parts of L.A. County, and reaching up to 60 to 80 mph in higher mountain areas and the Golden State (5) Freeway corridor.

    A flood watch will be in effect from Sunday afternoon through Tuesday afternoon for Los Angeles County.

    “Given the sheer amounts of rainfall expected in the time period, the 3-6 hour rain rates could be problematic, exceeding USGS thresholds which could lead to mud/debris flow issues as well as swift water rescues in the local rivers and streams,” the NWS said.

    City News Service contributed to this report.

    Copyright © 2024 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved.

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    Rob McMillan

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  • Drone footage: Isla Vista bluff collapses in storm, damaging a student apartment balcony

    Drone footage: Isla Vista bluff collapses in storm, damaging a student apartment balcony

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    A bluff in Santa Barbara’s Isla Vista community where several people have fallen to their deaths over the years gave way during the recent storms, and students in an apartment building above the bluff were evacuated as inspectors checked a crumbling balcony.

    The terrace on the 6700 block of Del Playa Drive is cracked and hanging off the edge of the bluff, which has been eaten away by coastal erosion over the past few decades. The 45 UC Santa Barbara students who live in the building were evacuated Tuesday morning but allowed back in after an inspector examined the property. No one was injured.

    “The bluffs in Isla Vista have been a longtime problem,” said Laura Capps, a Santa Barbara County supervisor who visited the area Tuesday and spoke to students. “This morning it fell. Thankfully, no injuries. They were able to get all the kids out of the apartment.”

    The slide occurred around 9:50 a.m. due to “cliff / bluff erosion,” according to Santa Barbara County Fire spokesperson Scott Safechuck. It comes as the record-breaking storms that have buffeted California continue inundating many parts of Southern California with rain.

    Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department Lieutenant Garrett Te Slaa was first on scene Tuesday.

    He said the department was concerned about possible issues at the bluffs during the rain this week, and said coastal erosion is a constant issue in Isla Vista.

    “It’s obvious that the bluff is continuing to erode,” he said. “This is the perfect mix of a saturated bluff and over-capacity balconies.”

    Te Slaa said that crews were brought in Tuesday while students were evacuated to install a new fence along the balcony, closer to the property. He said that as coastal erosion continues, the balconies will become smaller.

    Capps took a photo from down the bluff that shows the red fence that encircles the balcony hanging over the beach, threatening to tumble into the sand.

    The bluffs have made headlines over the years as students and others have fallen to their deaths to the beach below.

    Since 1994, 13 people have died in cliff accidents, according to the Santa Barbara Independent.

    Most recently, a student, Benjamin Schurmer, died after falling about 40 feet from the bluffs.

    Capps proposed an eight-step plan to combat the deaths, including increasing the height of fencing surrounding the 60 or so properties on the bluffs.



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    Noah Goldberg

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  • Is your rental home flooded? What tenants can do to fix the damage

    Is your rental home flooded? What tenants can do to fix the damage

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    As soon as the floodwaters subside in Southern California, many tenants will start the daunting task of assessing what’s been damaged or lost in their rental homes or apartments.

    As of late Monday, authorities just in Los Angeles County responded to more than 300 mudslides, with 35 homes or buildings damaged by debris flows, including five that were deemed unsafe to enter.

    If you were given evacuation orders, do not return to your home until the order has been lifted by the local authorities or the city.

    Once you’re able to safely return to your rental and assess the damage, there are two things you should know.

    First, damage to the rental property is not your responsibility, it’s the landlord’s. Getting your landlord to fix the damage, though, can be a challenge.

    “Unfortunately, too much of this is a burden of the tenant to hold the landlord accountable,” said Larry Gross, executive director of the Coalition for Economic Survival.

    Second, although a renters insurance policy can help under certain circumstances, it will not cover flood damage to your personal property.

    Renters insurance reimburses you for damage to your belongings, including losses caused by some — but not all — natural disasters. The natural disasters that are not covered by rental insurance include floods, mudflows, sinkholes and earthquakes.

    Janet Ruiz, communications director for the Insurance Information Institute, said flood damage is defined as losses caused by water that rises from the ground up. However, if water comes into your home from above — for example, when wind damages the roof or a window and rain cascades in — there is a possibility of coverage.

    A water pipe that bursts and floods your dwelling is the other type of water damage that is covered by a renter’s policy, Ruiz said.

    If your furniture, clothes, and computer are floating in a pool of floodwater in your living room, chances are good that you’ll have to pay out of pocket to replace them.

    Your renters policy may still come in handy if you’re forced to move by the storms. Depending on the extent of the damage, a dwelling can be deemed uninhabitable. Your insurance might be able to cover the costs associated with temporary relocation; contact your insurance provider to find out.

    Ruiz said most policies will pay for your additional living expenses when you are displaced from your home by a covered loss (such as damage caused by the wind) and need temporary shelter. Keep all your receipts to document your expenditures.

    How to get your landlord to make repairs

    Landlords have the responsibility to meet the habitability requirement for rental properties, meaning every rental unit must be maintained in a safe living condition. Part of the requirement is to provide “effective waterproofing and weather protection to the roof and exterior walls, including unbroken windows and doors.”

    When a storm has damaged a rental — for example, high winds knock down a tree that lands and caves in a roof or rain has caused a roof leak — the landlord must fix it. State law also requires landlords to make sure their properties are free of dampness and visible mold.

    Because of the legal requirements, it may be easy to get your landlord to fix flood damage right away. But most Californians don’t carry flood insurance, so the costs faced by your landlord could deter a speedy response.

    Also, when a storm of this magnitude barrels through the state, contractors are usually overwhelmed with requests for repairs. A landlord who is trying in good faith to fix a rental might be stuck waiting until they can get a professional to do the work.

    “Unfortunately,” Gross said, “there are too many [situations] where it’s not [repaired quickly] and of course it also depends on the severity of the situation.”

    If a landlord doesn’t repair the damage in a reasonable time frame, a renter in the city of Los Angeles can file a complaint with the city’s housing department. This will prompt a visit by a code enforcement officer.

    Landlords are also responsible when damage to the rental causes harm to the renter’s personal property. If your landlord won’t comply with your request for repairs, replacement or reimbursement, that can be a case for small claims court as well.

    Gross doesn’t advise withholding your rent to try to get the landlord to fix damage to your rental, although you have that option. Doing so, Gross said, could lead the landlord to seek to evict you.

    The Coalition for Economic Survival is one of several local organizations that can help renters understand their rights and advise them what can be done if a prickly landlord isn’t helpful. Here’s a list of some of the others.

    • Tenants Together is a statewide coalition of local tenant organizations, that offers resources and a directory to find an organization near you.
    • Basta, which has offices in Los Angeles and Long Beach, helps residents with habitability problems, among other services.
    • The Housing Rights Center serves Los Angeles County and has a housing rights hotline — 800-477-5977 — available from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
    • The Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles has an online tenant small claims resource library.
    • Tenants of California‘s members can advise renters on habitability issues.
    • Stay Housed LA can provide free legal help to certain Los Angeles County residents. Check the group’s website for a list of eligible ZIP Codes.
    • Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights has volunteers who can answer questions or offer a referral to a resource who can help.

    What if my car has been damaged?

    Flood damage to cars, including flooding from a storm surge, is covered if you have “comprehensive coverage,” also known as “other than collision” coverage, as part of your auto insurance. Comprehensive coverage is optional with a standard auto policy.

    Ruiz said most people who took out a car loan to buy their vehicle will have comprehensive coverage because loan companies require it.

    Some people with older cars do not elect to have the coverage, however. That’s because, “at the end of the day, you only get the value of the vehicle,” she said.

    What else can renters with flood damage do?

    You might not be able to get reimbursed for your lost items at the moment, but you can deduct the amount you lost on your state and federal tax returns.

    To help in the future, renters can apply for flood insurance to protect their personal belongings through FEMA’s National Flood Insurance program. For renters, the program covers up to $100,000 in damage to the contents of a unit.

    The National Flood Insurance Program is available to anyone living in one of the 24,000 participating U.S. communities or in a flood-prone area. You can see whether your community is part of the program by checking the “community status report” on the program website.

    If your community is in the program, you can obtain a flood policy from a participating insurer. The National Flood Insurance program offers a list on its website.

    The policy won’t go into effect, however, until 30 days after it’s purchased.

    You can also reach out to private insurers to see if they offer their own version of flood insurance. But there aren’t many that do, Ruiz said, so your best bet is to stick with the National Flood Insurance Program.

    Staff writer Grace Toohey contributed to this report.

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    Karen Garcia

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  • Here’s why you may have had trouble getting gas during the storm

    Here’s why you may have had trouble getting gas during the storm

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    Tuesday, February 6, 2024 6:25AM

    Here's why you may have had trouble getting gas during the storm

    If you had trouble getting gas during a very rainy Monday, you weren’t alone. Here’s why that may have been the case.

    KABC

    LOS ANGELES (KABC) — If you had trouble getting gas during a very rainy Monday, you weren’t alone.

    Eyewitness News received reports from several people saying they pulled into a gas station, only to find pumps cordoned off and out of service.

    So what’s the problem?

    One gas station attendant told us it’s the rain. He says the pumps have sensors to detect gas leaks. When too much water gets in, it triggers the sensors even though there is no leak. That shuts down the pumps.

    The attendant said it’s just a matter of getting someone in to drain the water to get the pumps working again.

    Copyright © 2024 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved.

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    KABC

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  • Mudslides, drowned highways, upended homes: Scenes from Southern California’s atmospheric river

    Mudslides, drowned highways, upended homes: Scenes from Southern California’s atmospheric river

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    Enriqueta Lima stood beside her car in Studio City, holding a puffer jacket over her head as a cold, steady rain fell Monday morning.

    Lima, 49, had parked near Fryman Road, a street in a wooded canyon lined with million-dollar homes. She cleans a house there and was trying to figure out if it was safe to keep driving. She had not heard from the homeowners Sunday night, as the slow-moving storm poured down, so she decided to risk the drive to Studio City Monday after dropping her daughter off at school.

    “I got scared thinking about driving here,” Lima said in Spanish. “I don’t want to park my car where it’s flooded.”

    Mud and water flowed down the street. She got back into her gray sedan and drove away.

    Across Southern California, hillside and canyon neighborhoods bore the brunt of the powerful atmospheric river that parked itself over Los Angeles late Sunday just as the Grammys were being handed out at Crypto.com Arena downtown.

    The record-breaking deluge — which prompted a state of emergency declaration from Gov. Gavin Newsom — triggered mudslides and evacuations, damaged houses, flooded roadways and knocked out power for thousands of people.

    In Northern California, three deaths, all from fallen trees, were attributed to the storm, officials said. One was in Santa Cruz County, one in Sutter County and one in Sacramento County.

    Still, amid a massive deployment of emergency response teams, more widespread public safety issues have so far been avoided.

    “Things have held. We are in pretty good shape,” Brian Ferguson, a spokesman for the governor’s Office of Emergency Services, said Monday. But, he added, “we are not out of the woods yet.”

    The rains will keep coming, off and on, most of the week, according to the National Weather Service. And the cleanup has just begun.

    On Monday afternoon in Studio City, yellow trucks from the Los Angeles Bureau of Street Services lined Fryman Road, where a mudslide had coated the roadway in piles of mud, rocks, tree limbs and debris laced with silverware, tools, garden pots and books. The debris field crashed down from Lockridge Road, which sits beneath Dearing Mountain Trail in Fryman Canyon Park.

    Longtime resident Scott Toro said the mudslide Sunday night “sounded like a plane crashing.”

    “It sounded like, ‘Boom! Boom! Boom!’ and we came outside and saw all this debris,” said Toro, 60. “I saw all these rocks.”

    Toro left his home after midnight and stayed at a relative’s house. He said he’s used to water coming down the ravine during storms, but “we’ve never had anything like this.”

    In nearby Beverly Glen, on Caribou Lane, an upside-down piano — caked in mud, keys askew — lay in the road. In that neighborhood, mud flows pushed a house off its foundation around 2 a.m. Monday, said Travis Longcore, who lives a few houses down.

    “It was a big rumbling sound and then a boom,” he said.

    The house, neighbors said, was unoccupied.

    The winding residential streets south of the Encino Reservoir, covered with tree branches and muck, were mostly deserted Monday. On nearby Boris Drive, the storm washed away the hillside behind Nathan Khalili’s rented house, leaving a steep, muddy scar in its place.

    “I’m usually not worried about storms, but I didn’t think a … landslide would happen,” said Khalili, 23. “I woke up, looked outside and half the mud had slid down the hill.”

    Khalili lost power between midnight and 9 a.m. Monday. His phone, on which he sets his morning alarm, died overnight. “I’m supposed to be at work right now,” said Khalili, an insurance broker. “But I accidentally slept in.”

    On the Palos Verdes Peninsula, where a landslide caused several homes to slide into a canyon last summer, residents were wary as they watched the downpour.

    David Zee, whose house in Rolling Hills Estates was red-tagged after neighboring homes on Peartree Lane collapsed, said he went to his home Monday to check for damage. Though his house is upright, Zee and his family have been displaced since July. The landslide, according to a city report, was triggered by excessive precipitation during a series of heavy storms last winter. Now, every time it rains, Zee worries.

    “There’s not much we can do,” he said. “We just have to hope that our hillside, our foundation that our home sits on, doesn’t buckle under the weight of all the rain.”

    According to the National Weather Service, a staggering 11.34 inches of rain had fallen in Topanga Canyon by Monday afternoon.

    Keith Wilbur, 65, walked along Topanga Canyon Boulevard in rubber rain boots and a plastic poncho. Wilbur was walking home from the Topanga Creek General Store. He said he needed something to drink after his water pipe burst. His hands and forearms were coated in mud. He had hiked about two miles to get to the store and fell in the mud on a closed stretch of Topanga Canyon Boulevard.

    “There are cones there stopping cars from going through, but I figured I could walk,” he said.

    Wilbur lives on the boulevard and said two creeks intersect on his property. Both were overflowing. He said he and his family got an evacuation notice a few days ago but didn’t want to leave their animals behind.

    “I have six peacocks, two dogs and a 400-pound pig,” he said. “How am I supposed to put them all in a car and drive off?”

    Also wandering the boulevard on foot was a bearded man in a wetsuit, who carried a neon green kayak and wore a GoPro camera strapped to his chest. He did not give his name but said, a bit sheepishly, that he was going to Topanga Creek, which is usually too dry for kayaking.

    Nearby, three young men and a young woman stood ankle-deep in mud as a plow pushed debris to the side of the road. Each held a can of White Claw alcoholic seltzer. Among them, Maxwell Stiggants said his driveway was covered in mud and he couldn’t leave his property by vehicle. A neighbor was driving the plow, trying to clear the area.

    “Do we look worried?” Stiggants asked, holding up his drink and chuckling. “It’s either this or a fire.”

    Staff writers Ashley Ahn, Hannah Fry, Summer Lin and Hannah Wiley contributed to this report.

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    Angie Orellana Hernandez, Caroline Petrow-Cohen, Nathan Solis, Melissa Gomez, Hailey Branson-Potts

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  • Deadly storm lashes California with record rain

    Deadly storm lashes California with record rain

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    Deadly storm lashes California with record rain – CBS News


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    An atmospheric river combined with a bomb cyclone is bringing record rain and hurricane-strength wind gusts to parts of California. Jonathan Vigliotti takes a look at the devastation.

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  • Southern California sees astronomical rain totals, and more yet to come

    Southern California sees astronomical rain totals, and more yet to come

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    The latest atmospheric river megastorm inundating Southern California with precipitation and high winds — prompting evacuations from mudslides and causing widespread road flooding — brought eye-popping rain totals by Monday morning.

    Rainfall topped 10 inches in some areas of Los Angeles County in two days, easily surpassing the average amount recorded for the entire month of February, according to the National Weather Service.

    “And February is our wettest month,” said Ryan Kittell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. He noted this storm is “significant.”

    As of 8 a.m. Monday, downtown Los Angeles had recorded 5.62 inches of rain over the previous 24 hours. The February average is 3.80 inches.

    Historical records won’t be confirmed until the storm passes, and there are still multiple days of rain forecast. But Kittell said that Sunday had already become the region’s 10th-wettest calendar day since record keeping began in 1877. The two-day rainfall tally is expected to break the top five in history, he said, pointing out that the heaviest rain fell late Sunday and early Monday.

    And there’s still more rain to come, with another 1.5 to 3 inches expected across the L.A. Basin. Higher elevations — which already had recorded the highest rain tallies — could see 3 to 6 more inches, Kittell said.

    “It’s pretty relentless; nothing of the intensity we saw last night, but the rains really are not letting up until, possibly, Thursday,” Kittelll said. “But it should be generally light in nature. The one caveat is we do have a chance of thunderstorms, so if we do get a thunderstorm, we could get a brief, heavy downpour.”

    Here are the highest rain tallies for select cities across Southern California as of 8 a.m. Monday. The totals include rain that began late Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.

    Los Angeles County

    • Santa Monica Mountains, at the Topanga fire station: 10.67 inches
    • Bel-Air: 10.46 inches
    • Sepulveda Pass, near the Skirball Cultural Center: 10.28 inches
    • Santa Monica Municipal Airport: 5.58 inches
    • Brentwood: 9.90 inches
    • Inglewood: 4.96 inches
    • Los Angeles International Airport: 3.27 inches
    • Downtown Los Angeles: 5.95 inches
    • Woodland Hills: 6.73 inches
    • Malibu Canyon: 8.06 inches
    • Van Nuys Airport: 6.04 inches
    • Eagle Rock Reservoir: 4.05 inches
    • Los Angeles Valley College: 7.41 inches
    • San Gabriel Dam: 6.26 inches
    • Harbor City: 4.83 inches
    • Pomona: 5.73 inches

    Areas with higher elevation saw greater totals, Kittell said, as the hills and mountains act as a ramp to push air up and squeeze out the storm’s moisture.

    Areas along the coast have recorded some of the lowest totals, with 2.78 inches reported at Long Beach’s airport, 2.55 inches in Manhattan Beach and 2.59 in Rancho Palos Verdes.

    Santa Barbara and Ventura counties:

    • Matilija Canyon near Ojai: 8.52 inches
    • Ojai: 4.38 inches
    • Oxnard: 1.85 inches
    • Thousand Oaks: 3.58 inches
    • Lake Casitas: 4.93 inches
    • Montecito: 5.04 inches
    • Carpinteria: 4.2 inches
    • Santa Barbara: 4.39 inches

    Across much of San Bernardino, Riverside and Orange counties, rain tallies remained generally below 3 inches Monday morning, but those regions are expecting the worst of the rainfall throughout the day Monday and into Tuesday. San Diego County is not forecast to see heavy rain until Monday evening into Tuesday, though predictions there have been more moderate.

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    Grace Toohey

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