From the Monterey Peninsula to the northern part of San Luis Obispo County, wind gusts of up to 92 mph (148 kph) are predicted, according to a rare "hurricane force wind warning" issued by the meteorological service for the Central Coast.
According to meteorologist Ryan Kittell of the weather service's office in the Los Angeles region, the southern section of the state could be severely flooded starting late Sunday due to the system's sluggish movement.
Nearby, at a great depth, lies the low pressure system's core, which is moving at a glacial pace. That explains why the winds are so powerful. There will be the greatest rainfall totals and the potential of floods because of how slowly it is moving, he warned during a briefing on Sunday.
Areas in Monterey, Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Los Angeles counties that are mountainous or include canyons were warned to evacuate. If you live in or near the Topanga or Soledad valleys, which were burned by wildfires, you should listen to the warnings from Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsay Horvath and evacuate your home immediately to avoid mudslides.
While briefing reporters on Sunday, Horvath urged them to "gather your family, your pets, and your medications and leave immediately" if they had not done so previously. Evacuees were able to spend the night in shelters that the county had put up.
All of the following counties were put into emergency status by Governor Gavin Newsom: Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, and San Luis Obispo. The operations center of the Governor's Office of Emergency Services was activated, and resources were deployed to the areas that were most vulnerable.
Heavy rain, possibly flash floods, and mountain snow were predicted to hit the Los Angeles region late Sunday as the storm made its way down the coast. On Monday, it was forecast to wreak havoc on Orange and San Diego counties. Los Angeles Unified School District, the second biggest in the country, said on Sunday afternoon that schools will be operating as normal on Monday. At 6 a.m. on Monday, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho announced that the decision will be reevaluated.
According to the meteorological service, the coastal and valley sections of Southern California might see rainfall of up to 8 inches (20 cm), while the foothills and mountains could see as much as 14 inches (35 cm). From now until Tuesday, Southern California should anticipate heavy to moderate rain.
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