Some areas in Southern California, a region plagued by drought conditions, saw more than inch of rain this weekend.
Several wildfires broke out in San Diego County early Tuesday, triggering evacuation orders and school closures as Southern California faced strong winds and regional red flag warnings.
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Areas where the Palisades, Franklin, Eaton, Bridge, and Hughes wildfires burned are under a flood watch, the weather service said Sunday. Fresh burn scar areas stand at greater risk of mudslides because they no longer have trees and vegetation providing support to the land, according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Jacob Hinson.
NWS San Diego issues alerts for fire weather and a winter storm with snow and gusty winds in Southern California.
The blazes - named Laguna, Sepulveda, Gibbel, Gilman and Border 2 - flared up on Thursday in Los Angeles, San Diego, Ventura and Riverside.
If the rain falls at a steady, lighter rate, Southern California could be in good shape. That could mean enough rain to help ease the firefighting strain, but not enough to trigger another potential disaster. Heavier rain could mean the chance for flash flooding or mudslides over fresh burn scars.
San Diego County expects rain and mountain snow after severe Santa Ana winds and wildfires across Southern California, marking a hopeful turn in a dry water year.
The mountains and foothills of Los Angeles County are in “extreme drought” conditions, about 36% of the county, explained Pugh. That’s one category shy of hitting the highest level, “exceptional drought,” and three higher than the lowest, “abnormally dry.” The rest of the county is in severe drought.
As firefighters continue to fight various wildfires in southern California, here's what to know on their progress.
Winds have picked up and are expected to continue through Tuesday morning, raising the risk of new wildfires sparking