Large portions of southern California, including the greater Los Angeles area, are under a flood watch through Thursday, as the city sees a rainy New Year’s Day.
The Greater Los Angeles area is on alert for mudslides and flash flooding this weekend as heavy rain falls surrounding recent wildfire burn scars, including from the Palisades and Eaton fires in early 2025.
Evacuation warnings remain in effect across the Los Angeles area as flood watches stay in effect through New Year’s Day.
Huntington Beach, CA – February 20: A view from Seapoint Street in Huntington Beach looks north along Pacific Coast Highway which was closed due to coastal flooding on Tuesday, February 20, 2024.
(Mark Rightmire/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register / Getty Images)
In Los Angeles County, individual properties are being notified of evacuation warnings, the county said.
The National Weather Service warned of flash flooding and debris flows and mudslides through the California wildfire burn scars.
LOOKING BACK: EXTREME WEATHER AND DISASTERS THAT MADE 2025 A YEAR TO REMEMBER
(FOX Weather)
The worst of the rain is expected through Thursday lunchtime, while the threat eases up into the afternoon.
As of early Thursday morning, the NWS office in Los Angeles reported the highest rain totals in Ventura County, with up to 4.85 inches in Ortega Hill.
In Los Angeles, rain totals reached up to 1.21 inches in Bel Air and just under an inch in downtown LA.
KNOW YOUR FLOOD TERMINOLOGY: WHAT FLOOD WATCHES, WARNINGS AND EMERGENCIES REALLY MEAN
This image shows the before and after of the Palisades Fire.
(Satellite image ©2025 Vantor. / FOX Weather)
The FOX Forecast Center said another widespread 1-2 inches of rain appears likely across much of the region through Friday, with the National Weather Service saying 2-5 inches of rain is possible through the mountains and foothills of southern California.
The California Highway Patrol closed a 3.6-mile stretch of Topanga Canyon Boulevard/State Route 27 in southern California from the Pacific Coast Highway north to Grand View Drive until further notice while the threat remains.
HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER
(FOX Weather)
Once this system exits, a larger and potentially more impactful storm is expected to move into Northern and Central California on Friday into Saturday, the FOX Forecast Center said.
This next system could bring gusty winds, heavy rainfall, and another round of mountain snow to the Sierra Nevada.
Almost the entire costal region of California is now under a low-end flash flood risk Friday through Monday morning. The threat extends from Redding, California, to San Francisco through Santa Barbara.
