Storm slams Southland, threatens rainfall records

Downtown L.A. could see wettest November since 1985. Flooding, landslides and even a possible tornado loom.

- BY RONG-GONG LIN II AND GAVIN J. QUINTON

Southern California will be under a severe weather threat Saturday, with the most powerful wave of an incoming atmospheric river storm peaking over the weekend in Los Angeles County and bringing a risk of mudflows, debris flows and, possibly, a tornado.

If rain falls as forecast, this storm could result in downtown Los Angeles experiencing its wettest November since 1985. Heavy rain brings the possibility of damaging flooding and landslides, with fire-scarred hillsides from the Eaton and Palisades fires at risk of fastmoving flows of mud and debris.

The storm moved in Friday, with scattered showers that will be a preview for the weekend. Some of the biggest concerns are in areas burned by the January wildfires.

The storm was stronger to the west in Ventura County, where meteorologist Ryan Kittell said rain was falling at a rate of about a quarter of an inch an hour. Not far away, parts of Santa Barbara already had accumulated more than 5 inches of rain before noon.

Near Rubio Canyon Trail in Altadena, plots where homes once stood soaked up the rainfall.

Plastic tarps, netting and sandbags suspended by rope were affixed to steep hills on Stonehill Drive. A pyramid of sandbags sat at the bottom.

Nearby, construction workers placed tarps over damaged or partial roofs to seal a surviving home off from the weather.

“We put these up back a couple months ago when there was a little rain,” one worker said. “We're still doing some roofing work, so we think water might still get in.”

Sharon Gray owns Eaton Dam Stables, just a few hundred feet from the ignition point in the canyon.

When the fire raced through in January, her horse boarding business and the trailer she lived in were decimated. Despite the chaos, she and a small group reacted quickly, saving all 39 horses in Eaton Canyon.

As for the weather, she’s not as worried as other residents farther uphill.