California storm threatens homes and holiday travel
- - California storm threatens homes and holiday travel
CBSNewsDecember 25, 2025 at 1:35 AM
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California officials and weather forecasters urged holiday travelers to avoid the roads and reconsider Christmas travel as a series of powerful winter storms brought relentless rains, heavy winds and mountain snow to parts of the state.
Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Wednesday for Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Shasta counties, saying this would enable them to activate emergency authorities and pre-position resources.
Storms began to move in late Tuesday evening and were expected to intensify into Christmas Eve. Authorities said the millions of people expected to travel across the state will likely meet hazardous, if not impossible, conditions as several atmospheric rivers were forecast to make their way through the state, the National Weather Service warned.
An atmospheric river is a long, narrow band of water vapor that typically forms over an ocean in the tropics. Strong winds create a funnel for the vapor that transports it north or southward, often targeting the California coast, where it is released as rain or snow on land, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
"If you're planning to be on the roads for the Christmas holidays, please reconsider your plans," said Ariel Cohen, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Los Angeles, during a Tuesday news conference.
Wind gusts exceeded 60 mph in Los Angeles County, knocking down trees and power lines, Cohen said, according to CBS Los Angeles. She urged "everyone to take these warnings and messages seriously as the accumulative effects of the rain will result in increasingly dangerous and life-threatening conditions as we head through the holiday time period."
Forecasters said Southern California could see its wettest Christmas in years and warned about flash flooding, mudslides and debris flows in areas scorched by last January's wildfires. Los Angeles County officials said they were knocking on the doors of some 380 particularly vulnerable households to order them to leave.
Drivers make their way in the rain on East Palm Canyon Drive, Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, in Palm Springs, Calif. / Credit: Pamela Hassell / AP
Malibu resident Claire Hamano told CBS Los Angeles on Monday that she was concerned the storm could potentially cause landslides near her home. She was filling her car with sandbags at one of the county's distribution sites in preparation.
"If there are landslides, let's say on the PCH, we won't be able to get out ... that's kind of my biggest fear," said Hamano. "I'm trying to prevent mud from flowing onto the street on my property."
Southern California typically gets half an inch to 1 inch of rain this time of year, but this week many areas could see between 4 and 8 inches, National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Wofford said. It could be even more in the mountains. Gusts could reach 60 to 80 mph in parts of the central coast.
In addition to power outages and downed trees, officials also said the storms are expected to cause multiple road closures and airport delays.
Evacuation orders across Southern California
Parts of Los Angeles are under evacuation warnings this week, with an emphasis on protecting burn scar areas affected by recent wildfires, CBS Los Angeles reports.
Many people in burn scar areas decided not to leave after receiving an evacuation notice, Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell said. He urged them to reconsider.
"The threat posed by this storm is real and imminent," McDonnell said.
Los Angeles County put up K-rails, a type of barrier, around a burn scar to help catch sliding debris during rainstorms. Residents could also pick up free sandbags to protect their homes, said Kathryn Barger, a Los Angeles County supervisor representing Altadena.
Local and state officials are gearing up to respond to emergencies through the week. The state has deployed resources and first responders to a number of counties along the coast and in Southern California. The California National Guard is also on standby to assist.
Northern California flood watch
In Northern California, much of the Sacramento Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area were under a flood watch and a high wind warning through Friday. Forecasters warned of heavy snow and said gusts were expected to create "near white-out conditions" Wednesday in parts of the Sierra Nevada and make it "nearly impossible" to travel through the mountain passes.
A pedestrian carries an umbrella while walking on a path at Alamo Square Park, in San Francisco, Dec. 23, 2025. / Credit: Jeff Chiu / AP
There's also a risk of severe thunderstorms and a small chance of tornadoes along the northern coast.
Heavy rain and flash flooding already led to water rescues and at least one death in Northern California, local officials said. Shasta County Sheriff Michael L. Johnson on Monday declared a state of emergency to prepare for more rain and allow the state to help with hazard mitigation and search and rescue operations.
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