Intermittent rain showers rolled across parts of Southern California on Sunday, providing welcome relief to firefighters battling devastating wildfires, but could also bring an unpleasant side effect — mudslides.
The forecast raises concerns about too much of a good thing. The National Weather Service said more than half an inch of rain could fall in some areas within an hour Sunday. Showers may continue into Tuesday.
The weather service said Sunday that flood watches have been set up in areas burned by the Palisades, Franklin, Eaton, Bridge and Hughes fires.
“We’re expecting rainfall totals of about 0.50-1.00 inches across much of the Los Angeles basin, around San Diego and surrounding coastal areas,” AccuWeather meteorologist Jacob Hinson said. Any new burn scars are likely to cause landslides and debris flows, he said. Burnt trees and vegetation can no longer provide support to the land below.
Good news and bad news: Rain expected in California
progress:
∎ AccuWeather says thunder, lightning and hail are possible in some areas before the storm continues. Some areas near the mountains could see up to 3 inches of rain.
∎ AccuWeather stated that many areas in Southern California have not observed a single rainfall of more than 0.25 inches for several months.
Workers place a silt sock to prevent contaminants from entering storm sewers after the Palisades fire in Los Angeles on January 24, 2025.
Did you think California was the only one burning? Think again. Even Florida, Texas and New Jersey are at risk.
Wildfire risk not just a California problem
California appears to be particularly prone to wildfires, but experts warn the risk is increasing nationwide in places residents don’t expect. Think Boise, Idaho. Salt Lake City. Amarillo, Texas; Reno, Nevada; and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, said Kelly Pohl of Headwaters Economics, a Montana-based nonprofit research group that has studied the costs of retrofitting homes to protect against wildfires. .
“There are a lot of cities that are similar to what’s happening in Los Angeles,” Ball said.
A USA TODAY analysis found that 3.3 million Americans live in census tracts with “very high” wildfire risk. Another 14.8 million people live in areas where the risk is “relatively higher”. Read more here.
– Elizabeth Weiss
This article originally appeared in USA TODAY: Rainfall in Southern California could put out fires, but trigger landslides
