WRIGHTWOOD, California — A major storm system that brought relentless winds, rain and snow to California this week was expected to weaken on Friday, but there was still a risk of high surf along the coast, flash flooding near Los Angeles and avalanches in the Sierra Nevada.
On Friday, officials warned that waves in the San Francisco Bay area could reach 25 feet (7.6 meters), some areas of Southern California were at risk of flooding and avalanches could hit the Lake Tahoe area. Residents were told to be prepared to leave the mountain town of Wrightwood, about 80 miles (130 kilometers) northeast of Los Angeles, due to landslides.
Atmospheric rivers carried huge plumes of moisture from the tropics during one of the busiest travel weeks of the year. Storms were responsible for the deaths of at least two people earlier this week.
The system made downtown Los Angeles the wettest Christmas season in 54 years, according to the National Weather Service.
On Thursday, roads in the town of Wrightwood, population 5,000, were covered with rocks, debris and thick mud. When the power was out, the gas station and cafe, powered by generators, served as transportation hubs for residents and visitors.
“It's a really crazy Christmas,” said Jill Jenkins, who spent the holiday with her 13-year-old grandson Hunter Lopiccolo.
Lopiccolo said the family had nearly evacuated the day before when water washed away part of their backyard. But they decided to stay and celebrated the holiday anyway. Lopiccolo received a new snowboard and electric bike.
“We just played cards all night with candles and flashlights,” he said.
Davey Schneider walked a mile and a half (1.6 kilometers) through rain and shin-deep floodwater from his Wrightwood residence on Wednesday to rescue cats from his grandfather's home.
“I wanted to help them because I wasn’t sure they would survive,” Schneider said Thursday. “Luckily they all survived. They're fine – just a little scared.”
Arlene Korte said roads in the city turned into rivers, but her home was not damaged.
“It could have been a lot worse,” she said. “We're talking here.”
More than 150 firefighters were stationed in the area due to the approaching rain, San Bernardino County Fire Department spokesman Sean Millerick said.
“We're ready,” he said. “Everything is ready for now.”
A San Diego man was killed by a falling tree Wednesday. news agencies reported. Further north, a Sacramento sheriff's deputy was killed in a crash believed to be weather-related.
Areas along the coast, including Malibu, were under a flood watch until Friday afternoon, and wind and flood warnings were issued for much of the Sacramento Valley and San Francisco Bay Area.
Southern California typically sees 1.3 to 2.5 centimeters of rain this time of year, but many areas could get 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters) this week, with even more in the mountains, National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Wofford said.
High winds and heavy snow were expected in the Sierra Nevada, where gusts created “near whiteout conditions” and made travel through mountain passes dangerous.
Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in six counties to allow government aid.
The state sent resources and first responders to several coastal and Southern California counties, and the California National Guard was on standby.
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Associated Press writers Sophie Austin in Oakland, California, and Hannah Schoenbaum in Salt Lake City contributed.
