Heavy rain brings mudslides, rescues; 101 Freeway closed

A powerful rainstorm caused mudslides in burn areas of Southern California on Tuesday morning, prompting the closure of the 101 Freeway. The northbound 5 Freeway in Los Feliz was also closed due to a rain-related crash.

More than five inches of rain fell in some mountain areas that just last month had burned in the Thomas fire, the largest fire on record in Southern California. The amount of rain had caused some mudflows, including one that blocked the 101 at the 126 Freeway. Motorists were urged to use the 5 Freeway as an alternate.

Santa Barbara County Fire Department officials reported swift-water rescues due to the rain.

Swaths of Southern California were under evacuation orders Monday — for the second time in as many months — as the powerful storm prompted fear of mudslides, flash floods and debris flows. Forecasters said the heaviest rainfall was expected early Tuesday.

In Los Angeles County, sheriff’s deputies went door-to-door Monday alerting residents about the orders in Kagel Canyon, Lopez Canyon and Little Tujunga Canyon. Those who refused to leave said they had to sign a form saying they understood the risk.

Residents in burn zones in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, along with part of Duarte, were also ordered to leave, while those in Corona and Burbank burn areas were put on notice that they may have to if conditions worsened.

Whether residents planned to stay or go, all seemed to agree on one thing: The weather whiplash was exhausting.

“I’m tired of evacuating,” said Debra Saucedo, who was displaced from her Santa Barbara home for two weeks when the massive Thomas fire raged across Ventura and Santa Barbara counties last month.

Some communities — particularly within the Thomas fire burn area — could see as much as 9 inches of rain between Monday and Tuesday, with as much as 1½ inches of rain falling every hour, said Robbie Munroe, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service. Debris flows begin at about a third of that rate, he said.

The slopes that provide such ample views of the California coastline are also forcing up moisture from the storm, further squeezing out heavy rain. The same topography is responsible for the dreaded “sundowner” winds that pushed flames downhill into homes last month.

Weather officials warned of “damaging” wind gusts that could top 60 mph Monday night into Tuesday morning, potentially downing trees and power lines. Thunderstorms may arrive Tuesday, bringing the potential for brief heavy downpours and small hail, the weather service said.

A major storm is also hitting Northern California, causing concerns about flooding in the wine country fire zone, where more than 10,000 homes were burned in October.