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LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A flash flood warning has been issued by the National Weather Service for parts of Los Angeles County until 9 a.m. Wednesday, and the possibility of landslides are expected.
The life-threatening flash flood warning is in effect for Malibu, Agoura Hills, Woodland Hills, Encino, Beverly Hills, North Hollywood, Hollywood, Universal City, Burbank, Griffith Park, Malibu Creek State Park, Calabasas, Westlake Village, Topanga State Park, Point Dume, Pacific Palisades, Newbury Park and Brentwood.
Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu between Latigo Canyon and Corral Canyon is closed in both directions because of mud and rock slides.
Malibu Canyon Road was closed in both directions at Corral Canyon Road in Malibu due to a rockslide, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. The closure was ordered at 5:50 a.m., the sheriff's department reported. It has reopened as of 7:30 a.m., but city officials are advising drivers to avoid it and beware of rocks and mud on the roads.
A large rock is on Bouquet Canyon Road near Texas Canyon Road in Santa Clarita. Water across lanes of the 105 Freeway in Lynwood near Alameda Street has left one car disabled.
Steady rain again fell across much of the Southland Tuesday as a three- day storm continued to soak the region, prompting concerns about flooding in already-saturated hillsides and prompting at least one evacuation warning as authorities urged motorists to be cautious on the slick roads.
National Weather Service forecasters said the storm that began early Monday will linger over Los Angeles County into Wednesday, with some heavy showers and thunderstorms possible in the overnight hours that could raise the risk of flooding or mudslides.
"Showers should linger Wednesday morning, but as the upper trough moves east of the forecast area by late Wednesday morning, the showers should largely end across the region with generally dry conditions expected Wednesday afternoon, except for a few leftover showers mainly on the north slopes," according to the NWS.
"Additional rainfall thru Wednesday morning is expected to be highest over L.A. County with 0.5 to 1.50 inches for the coast and valleys and 1 to 2 inches in the mountains."
Snow levels could drop to about 6,000 feet early Wednesday, but as much as 10 inches of snow is possible at higher elevations.
A flood watch will remain into effect until 10 a.m. Wednesday, affecting the entirety of Los Angeles County with the exception of the Antelope Valley.
Forecasters noted there were "many reports of rockslides, mudslides and flooded roads" Monday in Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties.
As of early Tuesday afternoon, about 4 inches of rain had fallen in the Bel Air area over a three-day period, while 3 inches fell in Beverly Hills and nearly 2 inches in Culver City. Nearly 4 inches fell in Porter Ranch, while about 2.5 inches fell in Pasadena, and 2.2 inches were recorded in Newhall. More than 7 inches was recorded in parts of the Santa Monica Mountains.
The rain created slick and dangerous driving conditions that resulted in crashes and spinouts during the Tuesday morning commute. It also prompted some freeway closures and traffic breaks in L.A. and Orange counties.
The Sepulveda Basin -- between Burbank and Victory boulevards and Havenhurst and Woodley avenue -- was closed due to flooding, Mayor Karen Bass announced.
An evacuation warning was issued along Santa Maria Road north of Topanga Canyon Boulevard, southeast of Calabasas, due to possible mud/debris flows until 9 a.m. Wednesday.
Los Angeles County Public Works officials issued a "phase 2 debris flow forecast" for the Land Fire burn area east of Sun Valley. The alert will be in effect until 9 a.m. Wednesday, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department, which said moderate flooding and mudflow/sediment deposition should be anticipated in the area of McDonald Creek, Del Arroyo Drive and La Tuna Canyon Road.
"If conditions worsen, evacuation orders may be issued and evacuation sites will be identified," the LAFD said. "Take action now to be ready to quickly evacuate if you live on the streets along La Tuna Canyon Road with the borders of Horse Haven Street to the north, Martindale Avenue to the east, Penrose Street to the south, and Ledge Avenue to the west."
Farther south, a portion of Benedict Canyon Road was restricted to local access only due to a collapsing roadway. The "soft closure" was in effect from Mulholland Drive to Hutton Drive, with Deep Canyon Drive suggested as an alternate route.
Mulholland Drive remained closed between Skyline Drive and Bowmont Drive due to severe road damage at four locations. That closure was expected to last weeks, officials said.
The Skirball Center Drive/Mulholland Drive off-ramp from the northbound San Diego (405) Freeway was closed until further notice due to a sinkhole.
Other road closures due to flooding or debris occurred on the Interstate 5 south transition to the southbound Harbor (110) Freeway, and Second Street between Vignes Street and Garey Street.
In Rancho Palos Verdes, homeowners were dealing with reports of accelerated land movement and fears of further erosion. Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn urged Gov. Gavin Newsom to visit the area and observe the situation for himself.
"We need the governor's help," Hahn said in a statement. "It is my understanding that the city of Rancho Palos Verdes will be asking the governor to declare a state of emergency for the Greater Portuguese Bend Landslide Complex.
"I think if the governor came here and saw the buckling streets, the homes sinking and cracking apart, and the historic Wayfarers Chapel on the verge of collapsing, he would understand the urgency of this request. This is a crisis that is getting worse by the day, and I urge Governor Newsom to visit us and see it with his own eyes."
Flood fears were heightened due to the region's already soaked terrain from storms earlier this year, prompting Los Angeles city officials to put comprehensive measures in place to manage the effects of the latest storm.
The city's Emergency Operations Center was activated to a Level 2 to monitor the impacts and coordinate the resources needed to respond to storm- related problems.
"Over the past week, the city has worked to repair more than 4,000 potholes, reinforce hills that are at risk of mudslides and prevent power outages by making repairs to underground equipment and vaults that had flooded during the previous storm," Bass posted Sunday on social media.
As of 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, the city had responded to 126 reports of fallen trees and branches, with 63 reports resolved; 97 reported flooding incidents including blockages of catch basins and storm drain blockages with 52 reports resolved; and 47 reports of debris and mudflow with 14 reports resolved, according to Unified LA, which provides emergency public information regarding large-scale incidents and planned events where multiple Los Angeles area agencies are under a Joint Information Center.
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power reported that as of 1 p.m. Tuesday that 1.786 billion gallons of stormwater had been captured, which would provide water for approximately 21,925 households in the city.
The city and county of Los Angeles activated the Augmented Winter Shelter Program to provide additional shelter options for people living on the streets. Both programs began Friday. The Mayor's Office of Housing and Homelessness Solutions has worked to make more hotel vouchers available than previously planned to encourage unhoused Angelenos to come indoors.
Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority outreach workers began communicating about the storm and offering resources to the most vulnerable areas last Thursday with a particular focus on areas of extreme flooding like the Los Angeles River and Sepulveda Basin.
Newsom activated the State Operations Center to help coordinate state, local and federal response to the storm.
Additional rainfall through Wednesday morning is expected to be highest over Los Angeles County with a half-inch to 1 1/2 inches for the coast and valleys; 1 to 2 inches in the mountains, according to the National Weather Service.
Elsewhere, an additional one-third of an inch to 1 inch is expected with the higher amounts in the foothills and mountains.
Snow levels will be around 7,000 feet through Tuesday evening then lower to around 6,000 feet by early Wednesday. Above 7,000 feet there is the potential for 5 to 10 inches of snow Tuesday night into Wednesday morning and a few inches possible down to 6,000 feet.
Dry weather with warming temperatures is expected to return Thursday and Friday, before another bout of light rain next weekend.