Harry and Meghan’s Montecito neighborhood is under flash flood warnings with dozens trapped in cars as nearby Oxnard is submerged amid fears tornadoes could rip through parts of California as super storm hits
Harry and Meghan's neighborhood is under warning of flash flooding as a superstorm hits Southern California.
Heavy rains have drenched parts of California, bringing the threat of flooding and mudslides to the region, the National Weather Service said.
Thunderstorms hit Santa Barbara and Montecito, where the Duke and Duchess of Sussex live with their children.
In nearby Oxnard, residents reported being trapped in their cars as several streets in the area were flooded.
A tornado warning has been issued for central Ventura County until 2 a.m. local time. Meteorologists have warned that there was a severe thunderstorm near Oxnard early Thursday morning that could produce a tornado, traveling north at up to 15 miles per hour.
Heavy rains have drenched parts of California, bringing the threat of flooding and mudslides to the region, the National Weather Service said.
Thunderstorms are hitting Santa Barbara and Montecito, where the Duke and Duchess of Sussex live with their children, and a flash flood warning is currently in effect
An Oxnard resident is sharing images of the heavy rain that hit the area this morning
The storm, more powerful and widespread than the one that emerged earlier this week, is expected to trigger a lagging rainy season just a year after California was flooded by a series of atmospheric rivers that filled reservoirs emptied by a prolonged drought.
Centered off the coast, the Pacific storm gradually moved southeast, bringing onshore rain showers and mainly affecting the central coast after moving through the San Francisco Bay Area. Flood warnings were posted as far south as San Diego.
The rain in California came as the Northeast battled the effects of storms that caused flooding and downed trees, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of people and killing at least five people.
By late Wednesday morning, more than 5 inches of rain had fallen in the Santa Ynez Mountains—the craggy backdrop of southern Santa Barbara County's “American Riviera” communities—and more heavy rains were expected to follow .
The storm was very unstable and on Wednesday marine forecasters issued warnings for coastal waters due to heavy thunderstorms that could cause waterspouts.
Southbound lanes on US Highway 101 in South San Francisco, California flooding during a storm on Wednesday, December 20, 2023
People walk through wet conditions along Seacliff State Beach in Aptos, California on Wednesday, December 20, 2023
Santa Cruz County Public Works crews clear a storm drain in the Rio Del Mar neighborhood of Aptos, California on Wednesday, December 20, 2023
A surfer jumps into the water near Steamer Lane as storm clouds approach in Santa Cruz, California on Wednesday, December 20, 2023
The pace of the storm also proved difficult to predict. The San Diego area weather office has pushed back the timing of the heaviest rain there to Thursday and Friday.
Flood warnings were issued from California's central coast to San Diego warning of a high risk of road flooding, which could cause travel delays, as well as rockslides, mudslides and debris flows from wildfire burns.
The severe weather could pose a problem for some of the 9.5 million Southern Californians who will travel during the holidays, according to the Auto Club.
The storm's relative warmth meant that snowfall would be largely limited to high elevations in the southern Sierra Nevada and some areas of Southern California.
The California Highway Patrol office in South Lake Tahoe said in social media posts that the storm nevertheless “created a mess” and brought rain, sleet, snow and icy roads.