Lately it seems like the raindrops just don’t stop and it’s all adding up to very unusual—and sometimes even dangerous—conditions around Southern California. All-time rain accumulation records are being broken, the city was barraged with hail overnight, and rockslides, mudslides and flooding are being reported across the region.
Yesterday, portions of the 110 and 710 Freeways were closed due to flooding. Portions of the Pacific Coast Highway and Topanga Canyon Boulevard had to be shut down as well when road conditions became unsafe as mudslides and debris filled those areas, and residents along Corral Canyon Road have been informed it may take until the end of the week before their narrow passage can be safely reopened, according to North Hollywood Patch. Areas that already suffered during the summer fire season are among the hardest hit, and evacuation orders remain in place for areas including Glendora, Duarte and parts of Orange and Santa Barbara counties.
Even before the most recent round of storms, L.A. roads were showing some serious wear and tear from this wet winter season. A City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works spokesperson told CBS that the agency is currently logging around 90 pothole reports every day, up considerably from the usual 30. Part of the problem is that, on top of new potholes being created, all the standing moisture can cause pothole-filler to separate from the surrounding asphalt, effectively undoing repair work the agency has already completed.
Between October 1 and January 22, Los Angeles collected 6.26 inches of rainfall. That is 216 percent of the National Weather Service’s average for that seasonal period.
And, in what might be the single most unusual outcome of all this crazy weather we have heard so far, due to the heavy rain on Sunday, even Disneyland is said to have reported a quiet day with small crowds. Thankfully it appears L.A. will get a big of a break with the forecast showing sunshine for at least the next few days.
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