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This latest flooding is attributed to a powerful atmospheric river,
Independent StaffFriday 21 November 2025 14:57 GMTComments
CloseFlooding has hit a lot of the US in the last month
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Torrential downpours have deluged swathes of Southern California, prompting fresh flash flood warnings across parts of Los Angeles County on Friday.
Residents were warned of flash flooding in streets, creeks, and streams, and the potential for mudslides across several Los Angeles districts.
The National Weather Service's latest warning covered areas including downtown Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Studio City.
Some vehicles were reported stuck in floodwaters near Culver City before dawn on Friday.
This latest flooding is attributed to a powerful atmospheric river, the same weather phenomenon blamed for at least half a dozen fatalities earlier this month as it swept across much of California.
open image in galleryWalking with an umbrella through the California rainstorm (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)In flooding last week, a 71-year-old man died in Sutter County north of Sacramento, after his vehicle was swept off a flooded bridge, according to the California Highway Patrol.
More than 4 inches (10 centimeters) of rain fell over coastal Santa Barbara County as the storm approached Los Angeles last week. Parts of the Sierra Nevada received more than a foot of snow.
The intense rainfall also heightens the danger of mudslides in regions recently devastated by wildfires. Atmospheric rivers are long, relatively narrow bands of water vapour forming over oceans, transporting significant moisture from the tropics to northern latitudes.
Los Angeles County experienced two devastating wildfires at the start of this year, the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire.
The fire in the Pacific Palisades area destroyed over 6,800 buildings and killed 12 people on January 7. It was not fully contained until January 31.
open image in galleryDevastation after the Palisades Fire (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)A 29-year-old suspect was arrested and accused of “maliciously starting” the deadly Palisades Fire.
The Eaton Fire broke out the same day in the community of Altadena and killed 18 people.
Both fires burned for days, reducing entire neighborhoods to rubble and ash and ultimately spread across more than 40,000 acres – larger than the land area of Washington D.C. – with the flames having been fanned by a fierce windstorm known as the Santa Ana winds.
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