Southern California's Extreme Weather Swing

Southern California is dealing with a massive cleanup after an unusually wet Christmas season. This is the wettest Christmas in recent memory, and it has caused a lot of damage. Just a year ago, wildfires were a big problem in places like Altadena and Pacific Palisades. Now, the weather has completely changed. Scientists call this sudden shift "hydroclimate whiplash. " The rain was intense. Santa Barbara airport got almost 6 inches of rain. In one part of the Ventura county mountains, over 17 inches of rain fell. This heavy rain caused a lot of problems. Trees fell, cars crashed, and thousands lost power. Many homes and gardens were flooded with mud. The storm even created a tornado on Christmas Day. The National Weather Service confirmed it. The tornado hit Boyle Heights, damaging a home and a shopping center. It had winds up to 80 mph and traveled a third of a mile. The damage included broken windows, bent utility poles, and destroyed signs.Los Angeles' mayor, Karen Bass, declared a state of emergency. She said the safety of the people is her top priority. Firefighters rescued over 100 people in Los Angeles County alone. Governor Gavin Newsom also declared emergencies in several counties. Even though the worst of the rain is over, there is still a risk of flash floods and mudslides. The National Weather Service warns that people should still be careful. A meteorologist named Mike Wofford said the worst is over, but they are not out of the woods yet. More rain is expected around New Year's Eve. In Wrightwood, a mountain town near Los Angeles, the rain turned roads into rivers. Cars were buried under rocks and mud. Sherry Tocco, a resident, said the rain destroyed everything. She had to evacuate and slept in her car. Meanwhile, higher elevations like the Sierra Nevada mountains got snow instead of rain. Up to 2 inches of snow fell per hour.