New storm hitting waterlogged Southern California could cause more flooding and mudslides

Another powerful storm system that could soak the U.S. State of California with its wettest Christmas in years rolled into the region on Thursday (December 25, 2025), potentially causing more flooding and mudslides a day after heavy rain and gusty winds were blamed for at least two deaths. Forecasters warned the additional rain could increase the risk of debris flows in waterlogged areas scorched by wildfires in January . Those burn scar zones have been stripped of vegetation by fire and are less able to absorb water. Outside of California, a major storm system was moving toward the Midwest and Northeast and was expected to interfere with travel, according to the National Weather Service. A mix of freezing rain and sleet could create icy conditions across much of Pennsylvania and parts of Michigan and Maryland. Forecasters warned significant ice accumulation on tree limbs and power lines could cause outages. Heavy snow was expected to blanket the Northeast early Friday. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department in Southern California issued an evacuation warning for Wrightwood, a mountain town about 80 miles (130 kilometers) northeast of Los Angeles, due to a risk of mudslides. County firefighters on Wednesday said they rescued people trapped in cars when mud and debris rushed down a road leading into Wrightwood. It was not immediately clear how many people were rescued. Roads in the town of about 5,000 people were covered in rocks, debris and thick mud on Thursday. With power out, a local gas station and coffee shop running on generators were serving as hubs for residents and visitors. Statewide, more than 120,000 people were without power, according to PowerOutage.us. “It’s really a crazy Christmas,” said Jill Jenkins, who was spending the holiday with her 13-year-old grandson, Hunter Lopiccolo. Lopiccolo said the family almost evacuated the previous day, when water washed away a chunk of their backyard. But they eventually decided to stay and still celebrated the holiday. Lopiccolo got a new snowboard and e-bike. “We just played card games all night with candles and flashlights,” he said. Resident Arlene Corte said roads in town turned into rivers, but her house was not damaged. “It could be a whole lot worse,” she said. “We’re here talking.” With more rain on the way, more than 150 firefighters were stationed in the area, said San Bernardino County Fire spokesman Shawn Millerick. “We’re ready,” he said. “It’s all hands on deck at this point.” Deaths reported A falling tree killed a San Diego man Wednesday, news outlets reported. Farther north, a Sacramento sheriff’s deputy died in what appeared to be a weather-related crash. Residents around burn scar zones from the Airport Fire in Orange County were under evacuation orders. Areas along the coast, including Malibu, were under a flood watch until Friday afternoon, and wind and flood advisories were issued for much of the Sacramento Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. The storms were the result of multiple atmospheric rivers carrying massive plumes of moisture from the tropics...

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