California storm updates: State of emergency in effect as flooding, mudslides hit Southern California

An atmospheric river is bringing historic rainfall to Southern California.

A second storm within one week is pummeling California with heavy rain and life-threatening flooding.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has issued a state of emergency for counties including Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Ventura, where floodwaters and mudslides have swept through roadways.

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By the numbers

Downtown Los Angeles recorded 7.03 inches of rain on Sunday and Monday, marking the wettest two days in the city since 1956.

Los Angeles averages 14.25 inches of rain for an entire year. So far this year, LA has recorded nearly 11 inches of rain, or 75% of the city's annual rainfall.

And the rain is still falling. As of Tuesday morning, the three-day rainfall totals have climbed to: 12.2 inches in San Bernardino County; 12 inches in Bel Air in Los Angeles County; 9.4 inches in Santa Barbara County; 8.7 inches in Ventura County and 7.6 inches in downtown Los Angeles.


Southern California sees historic rainfall

As of early Tuesday, almost a foot of rain had fallen in Los Angeles' Bel Air neighborhood over a period of less than three days, according to the National Weather Service

As of Monday, downtown Los Angeles had recorded 7.03 inches of rain in two days, making it the city's wettest two-day period since 1956 when 7.44 inches of rain fell. It's also the third wettest two days in Los Angeles' history, with records dating back to 1877.

Los Angeles typically gets 14.25 inches of rain over an entire year. Since the start of 2024, the sprawling Southern California city has recorded almost 11 inches of rain -- 75% of its annual average.

-ABC News' Max Golembo and Sam Wnek


Latest forecast

A storm system continues to slam Southern California, with an atmospheric river bringing a plume of moisture all the way from the tropical Pacific Ocean.

The National Weather Service has flood watches in effect Tuesday morning for California as well as Nevada and Arizona. Winter storm warnings and snow alerts were also in effect for nine western states, from Montana to California, as this storm spreads into the Rocky Mountains.

As of early Tuesday, up to 3 feet of snow had already fallen on the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

The threat of flash floods on Tuesday will be mostly from Los Angeles to San Diego in California and from Yuma to Phoenix in Arizona. Locally, less than 1 inch of rain is in the forecast for Los Angeles, but the foothills around the city could get an additional 1 to 2 inches of rain.

On Wednesday, another storm system -- much weaker -- is expected to move through California from the San Francisco Bay Area to Los Angeles by the evening hours. The storm could dump an additional 1 inch of rain on southern California.

-ABC News' Max Golembo


President Biden pledges 'any and all federal support' California needs

President Joe Biden told California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass he is committed to helping communities impacted by the monster storms with "any and all federal support requested."


Cars trapped on flooded roads, drivers rescued amid extreme rainfall

Evacuation orders and evacuation warnings have been issued in some parts of Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and Orange counties as life-threatening flooding hits the region, trapping people in cars and forcing residents to evacuate their homes.

In Los Angeles’ Baldwin Hills neighborhood, about six cars crashed while heading down a hill where the road was partly covered with mudslide debris, according to Los Angeles police. Multiple people were injured and one person might have suffered a broken leg, police said.

In San Bernardino County, three people were trying to drive across a flooded road when the car became submerged, according to the San Bernardino County Fire Department. The three people clung to a tree and were rescued, officials said.

In Los Angeles’ Studio City neighborhood, firefighters rescued 16 residents after debris flow damaged homes, the Los Angeles Fire Department said. No one was injured, officials said.