much of Southern California is under flood warnings as heavy rains pose a risk to travel. Meanwhile, a new snowstorm is forming and heading toward the northeastern United States.
Recorded, record-breaking Christmas Eve rainfall covered Southern California, forcing many people to flee their homes, and some cases needed rescue by authorities due to rising water levels.
Christopher Prater, a San Bernardino Fire Department employee, said at least dozens of people were rescued overnight in Wrightwood, a residential area in the San Gabriel Mountains, northeast of Los Angeles, where flooding and mudslides occurred.
No deaths have been recorded in this area, however, a child had to be hospitalized due to minor injuries.
More than 120 rescue workers worked through the night to rescue people and assess the damage. Video clips released by local authorities show mud and floodwaters rushing.
Everything went very quickly and complicatedly. Rescue teams are still at the scene, prioritizing ensuring safety of lives and finding ways to redirect water and mud to reduce damage to houses, Prater said.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency since December 24 as consecutive heavy rains hit Southern California. Officials warn that the situation could get worse until the dry weather returns over the weekend.
On the afternoon of December 25, more than 100,000 households in California lost power due to the impact of storms.
The National Meteorological Agency said that many records of rainfall on Christmas Eve were broken, including records of rain recorded at Los Angeles International Airport, Hollywood Burbank Airport, Oxnard and Woodland Hills. Some mountainous areas near Los Angeles recorded up to 12 inches (250 mm) of rain.
It is forecasted that this area will record 2 more heavy rains lasting until December 26, accompanied by the risk of thunderstorms.
"The risk of flooding during this period is very high. Any rainfall will quickly create surface water flow, forecasters warn.
This extreme weather event killed at least two people on December 24, one person died after a large branch fell on him and the other died in a traffic accident related to bad weather conditions on his way to work.
The storm has caused many lanes and expressways in Los Angeles and Ventura counties to close. In Northern California, State Route 99 was blocked due to flooding.
Meanwhile, on the east coast of the US, the National Meteorological Agency forecasts that snow will fall in many northeastern states through December 27.
Some areas in Pennsylvania are under a severe ice warning, while southern Connecticut, northeastern New Jersey and southeastern New York could see snowfall, with up to 20cm of snow forecast, with New York City alone experiencing about 18cm.
Snow and ice will make traffic conditions particularly dangerous, stretching from Michigan to Pennsylvania and spreading to the mid- Atlantic region, the National Meteorological Administration warned.
