SoCal storm prompts rescues and freeway closures but will weaken Saturday

A powerful winter storm carving a path through Southern California was expected to weaken Saturday, leaving heaps of sleet, snow and record-setting rain in its wake.

Reports of power outages, grounded flights and road closures rang out through the Southland as the plume of frigid moisture carved a southeastern path. Rescue crews came to the aid of several people, including a 61-year-old man hoisted to safety from a dirt island in the Tujunga wash on Saturday morning, the Los Angeles Fire Department said.

Four homeless people, along with four dogs and a cat, were also rescued from a remote area of land within the heavily flooded Sepulveda Basin late Friday night, LAFD said. Two of the people were suffering from hypothermia and transported to a hospital.

The storm, which already transformed Northern California into a winter wonderland, set multiple precipitation records in and around Los Angeles on Friday, including 4.61 inches of rain near Hollywood Burbank Airport — its fifth wettest day ever, according to Rich Thompson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.

Daily rainfall records were also set at Los Angeles International Airport, which received 2.04 inches, and in Lancaster with 0.78 inch, Camarillo with 1.43 inches, Oxnard with 2.04 inches and Santa Maria with 2.61 inches, Thompson said, calling it “very impressive stuff.”

Satellite images from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show the powerful winter storm pummeling Southern California on Saturday.

(NOAA)

The unusual system also dropped heavy snow on mountain areas, especially elevations above 4,500 feet. Mountain High resort in Wrightwood received 65 inches of fresh powder in 24 hours, Thompson said, with the potential for an additional foot Saturday.

However, the brunt of the storm has passed the Los Angeles area, Thompson said.

“Right now, the heaviest rains have moved east of L.A. County. You’re still going to see steady light-to-moderate rain in the morning, but then by this afternoon, it’ll turn more showery,” he said.

Areas such as San Bernardino and San Diego were still “in the thick of it” Saturday morning, but were also expecting a weakening trend later in the day, said Brian Adams, a meteorologist with the weather service in San Diego.

“The system as a whole is kind of moving in an east, southeast trajectory,” he said.

A rare blizzard warning remains in effect for the mountains of Los Angeles, Ventura and San Bernardino counties until 4 p.m. Saturday, where heavy snow, gusting winds and near-zero visibility are possible.

A flood watch is also in effect in large swaths of Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and Ventura counties through Saturday afternoon, where flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues to be possible.

The storm has snarled traffic, particularly in mountain passes. Interstate 5 remains closed in the Grapevine area from Tejon Pass to Parker Road due to wintry conditions, the California Department of Transportation said. In the city, Interstate 5 was also closed around Los Feliz Boulevard and around Laurel Canyon Boulevard because of flooding.

Other closures in the area include portions of State routes 14 and 138, as well as State Routes 2 and 39 in the Angeles National Forest, Caltrans said.

Thousands of residents Saturday also awakened to power outages affecting North Hollywood, Crenshaw, Baldwin Hills, Jefferson Park and more, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said. The agency said residents can expect crews to respond “between 12-24 hours” from the time the outages are reported, though restoration could take longer depending on local conditions.

“Our crews are working as quickly and safely as possible in cold and wet conditions to restore power to affected customers,” the agency said.

Southern California Edison’s outage map also showed more than 18,000 customers without power in Southern California, including about 12,300 in L.A. County.

Though the system is weakening, officials warned residents to remain vigilant as soggy, snowy and potentially dangerous conditions could persist.

In Valencia, three motor homes in an RV park were swept into the Santa Clara River shortly after midnight Saturday when an embankment collapsed, CBS Los Angeles reported. No one was inside the motor homes and no injuries were reported.

“We still have the 5 closed, the 14, the 2 — that’s not going to change anytime soon,” Thompson said of highway closures. “It’s probably going to be a while, so I don’t think anyone will be traveling in the mountains today … because you can’t get anywhere.”