Southern California just experienced its wettest Christmas in modern history, a dramatic reversal from last year’s dry conditions and a stark reminder of the increasingly volatile weather patterns gripping the globe.
This Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were the rainiest on record for many parts of Southern California, according to the National Weather Service office in Oxnard. Some mountain areas received nearly 18 inches of rain since Tuesday, with more falling Friday before a clearing trend this weekend.
Through midday Friday, this season already ranks among the seven wettest starts to the water year – which began Oct. 1 – for Southern California, a complete turnaround from the parched conditions of the previous year.
A Whirlwind of Weather Extremes
The recent downpours brought much-needed moisture to dry vegetation, significantly reducing wildfire risk. But the shift also underscores a larger, concerning cycle: increasingly dramatic swings between drought and deluge. Last year was exceptionally hot and dry, with the summer and fall of 2024 ranking among the warmest since at least 1895. California experienced its hottest July ever in 2024.
Scientists attribute these extreme shifts to human-caused global warming, predicting more episodes of “hydroclimate whiplash” worldwide.
Debris from storm damage covers a car in Wrightwood, Calif., on Christmas Day.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
Record rainfall totals were reported across Southern California. Santa Barbara Airport received 5.91 inches of rain on Wednesday and Thursday, surpassing the previous record of 3.22 inches set in 1955. Woodland Hills recorded 4.64 inches, breaking a 1971 record, while Oxnard saw 4.63 inches, exceeding its 1979 high. Other areas, including Van Nuys, Burbank, Camarillo, and UCLA, also broke rainfall records.
Downtown Los Angeles recorded 2.79 inches from Christmas Eve through Christmas Day, making it the fourth-wettest period on record for those dates. The all-time record remains 3.82 inches, set in 1889.
Damage and Disruptions
The storm caused widespread damage and disruption. Evacuation orders remained in place for dozens of homes in the Riverwood neighborhood of Sunland due to the potential for a partial release of water from the Tujunga Dam. Evacuation warnings were also issued in areas with recent burn scars, where the risk of mudslides was elevated.
Flooding shut down major freeways, including Interstate 15 through the Cajon Pass and Interstate 5 in Sun Valley. Los Angeles firefighters conducted multiple river rescues, including one involving a man, his dog, and his cat stranded on an island in a creek.
A woman was rescued after being swept away in San Jose Creek near Fullerton Road and the 60 Freeway. She traveled approximately 10 miles before being rescued near Universal City. Another woman was spotted in the Tujunga Wash and rescue teams were searching for her Friday morning.
Tragically, the storms contributed to at least three deaths: a motorist who drove into floodwaters in Redding, a woman struck by a wave in Mendocino County, and a man killed by a falling tree in San Diego. Two people were killed in a crash on the Grapevine section of the 5 Freeway on Thursday, though the cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Shasta counties, mobilizing state resources and seeking federal aid for road repairs.
A weak tornado, rated EF-0 with winds up to 85 mph, touched down in Boyle Heights on Christmas morning, shattering storefronts and damaging roofs. Footage showed debris flying on Whittier Boulevard and Lorena Street.
Showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms moved southeast Friday over Orange County, the Inland Empire, and San Diego County. Snowfall was possible in the San Bernardino Mountains above 7,000 feet.
