(Los Angeles, December 25, 2025 04:12:00) – A powerful storm, dubbed a “Pineapple Express” by forecasters, slammed into Southern California on Wednesday, causing widespread flooding, road closures, and evacuations.
The atmospheric river brought the heaviest rainfall to the region in nearly two years, disrupting travel and prompting emergency responses across multiple counties.
- Southern California is experiencing its most critically important storm of the season, with intense rainfall and potential for mud and debris flows.
- Evacuations are underway in Orange County near the Airport burn scar and in parts of Wrightwood in San bernardino County.
- Major freeways are flooded, including the 5 Freeway in Sun valley, and a rockslide has closed a section of Highway 14.
- The storm has already caused flooding on major freeways and a rockslide on Highway 14.
The storm, an atmospheric river carrying moisture from the Pacific Ocean, brought intense rainfall that flooded freeways, triggered scattered mudslides, and prompted evacuations throughout Southern California on Wednesday, according to reports.
Storm Impacts and Evacuations
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Areas previously devastated by Los Angeles-area firestorms in January are notably vulnerable, officials said. In Orange County,residents near last year’s airport burn scar were told to leave,and could drop off their animals at a county shelter or stay at the county library in Foothill Ranch,which opened to evacuees Wednesday morning,according to the Orange County sheriff’s Department.
In Wrightwood, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department issued an evacuation warning from Pine Street to the Los Angeles County line due to the potential for mud and debris flows as rain accumulated on fire-scarred hills. Fire officials responded to reports of flooding across Highway 2 near Wrightwood at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday,and crews were going door to door to assist residents,said Christopher Prater,a spokesperson for the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District. “We do have multiple debris flows and flooding across the community,” prater said. “Right now, our primary concern is life safety.”
Before sunrise, most lanes of the 5 freeway in Sun Valley were flooded, stranding vehicles, and both northbound lanes at a truck bypass in Sylmar were also flooded. A rockslide was reported on Highway 14 between Santa Clarita and Palmdale.
Travel Disruptions and Resident Reactions
The storm also impacted last-minute holiday shoppers. At Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance, Trini Johnson, 59, said getting out of the car in the rain was “horrible” and “awful” while shopping with her niece, according to reports. Johnson, recovering from a knee injury, said she would have preferred to stay home but was compelled to shop for her niece.
Some residents, like Missy and Jay Chapman, 57, of Sierra Madre, spent Tuesday preparing their home for potential flooding. “We’re always a little worried, but what are you gonna do?” Missy Chapman said while taking cover in a neighbor’s carport.
Wider Regional Impacts
California Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency for Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Shasta counties in response to the series of powerful storms.The proclamation allows for the rapid mobilization of state resources and the potential deployment of the California National Guard, officials said.
Northern California was also hit earlier in the week, with one person dying in rising floodwaters in Redding on Sunday, and a woman in her 70s killed by a large wave at a beach on Monday, according to reports.
Why It Matters
This storm underscores the increasing vulnerability of California to extreme weather events, particularly atmospheric rivers. These “Pineapple Express” storms, while vital for the state’s water supply, can become incredibly destructive when they deliver excessive rainfall, especially to areas already weakened by wildfires. The declaration of a state of emergency highlights the scale of the threat and the need for coordinated responses to protect lives and infrastructure. The potential for further rainfall through the weekend, coupled with dropping temperatures and snow in the mountains, means the risk of continued disruption remains high.
