US EditionAtmospheric River Slams California, Southern Region Faces High Flood Threat into Christmas
Storms bring 4-8 inches of rain and gusts up to 70 mph with flood and high wind watches amid record 10.2 million Southern Californians traveling this holiday season.
- On Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, heavy rain flooded San Francisco streets as the storm system pummelled Northern California and is expected to intensify into Christmas Eve, the National Weather Service said.
- Meteorologists say atmospheric rivers are long, narrow bands transporting tropical moisture, with rainfall amplified by warm air and traced to a tropical cyclone in Indonesia.
- Emergency crews reported water rescues and at least one death after flash flooding began Saturday, while heavy snow and winds made mountain pass travel nearly impossible in the Sierra Nevada.
- State and local officials mobilized first responders across coastal and Southern California counties, the California National Guard is on standby, and authorities urged millions of holiday travelers to stay home or alter plans.
- Earlier this month, stubborn atmospheric rivers drenched Washington state with nearly 5 trillion gallons of rain, while forecasters warned Southern California could see up to 8 inches versus the typical half an inch to 1 inch, raising mudslide risks in areas burned by last January's wildfires.
131 Articles
131 Articles
San Bernardino Sun
Record levels of holiday drivers expected; be careful out there amid storms in Southern California
Despite a week of dicey weather on the horizon, holiday travels are expected to hit the roads in record numbers for Christmas this week. Complicating the holiday folderol for Southern Californians: A major storm was expected to begin dumping rain on the Southland Tuesday night, continuing through Christmas and possibly into the weekend. A flood watch will be in effect from Tuesday afternoon through Thursday evening for much of the region, with m…
Southern California storm brings ‘very concerning’ rain forecast
As Southern California braces for the impact of a powerful atmospheric river over the Christmas holiday, one prominent climate blogger is warning of a “very concerning” rainfall forecast based on model data. Colin McCarthy, who runs U.S. Stormwatch, shared a projection indicating more than 20 inches of rain could fall in the mountains over the […]
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