Several dozen homes in Wrightwood sustained mud damage. The atmospheric river receded after three days of relentless rainfall. A flood watch remains active for much of Los Angeles County.
Three days of intense rain caused flash flooding and mudslides across Southern California before easing on Friday. Residents in Wrightwood, a mountain resort town severely affected, began removing mud and assessing the destruction. The storm dumped up to 6 inches of rain in the greater Los Angeles area, with some mountains east of the city recording over 12 inches, according to the National Weather Service.
The storm, which started around Christmas Eve, was driven by a massive atmospheric river—an air stream laden with moisture from the Pacific moving inland. The heavy rains were accompanied by strong, gusty winds that felled trees and disrupted power lines, leading to outages. Snow also accumulated in the high mountain regions.
Authorities had issued evacuation warnings for neighborhoods prone to flash floods and debris flows, especially near hillsides previously burned by wildfires. Drivers were advised to avoid unnecessary travel.
Even as rainfall decreased on Friday, the flood watch persisted across much of Southern California.
Homes in Wrightwood, a town of about 5,000 nestled in the San Gabriel Mountains northeast of Los Angeles, experienced extensive mudslides. County safety officials began inspecting property damages. Several dozen houses suffered severe damage from mud rushing through the area on Wednesday, with officials prepared for additional debris flows.
“Evacuation warnings are still in effect for Wrightwood, and all roads in the area are closed except to residents,” said San Bernardino County Fire Department spokesperson Ryan Beckers.
Misty Cheng, 49, an accountant and homeowner in Wrightwood, learned about her property’s fate through a neighbor’s video. “My house is buried under over 5 feet of mud,” she told Reuters via cellphone from her primary residence in Upland, where she was staying during the storm. A mudslide had broken through a wall in the attached garage, flooding the living room. When she visited the house to assess damage and retrieve belongings, the mud had hardened into a solid mound.
“I managed to recover a truckload of personal items, mostly from the second floor, which remained intact. Without flood insurance, I’ve started a GoFundMe to fund repairs,” she explained.
Aerial footage showed homes and vehicles coated in mud with crews beginning cleanup efforts. Emergency responders rescued about 20 people trapped in their homes or vehicles by floodwaters and debris, but no fatalities or serious injuries were reported.
The Weather Service expects Southern California to dry out over the weekend. Meanwhile, a significant winter storm may bring record snowfall to parts of New York state starting Friday night.
