California storm full coverage: State of emergency declared as atmospheric river brings 'potentially historic' flood threat

Santa Barbara County announced in a post on X that all evacuation orders within the county had been canceled as of 12 p.m. PT on Monday.

As flash flood warnings are issued for various parts of Southern California impacted by the ongoing storm, here are some flood safety tips issued by Ready.gov. One of the top safety tips is to "turn around, don't drown" when coming across a flooded road. You never know how deep the water could be.

Weather Channel meteorologist Jim Cantore, who has spent his fair share of time being hammered by pounding rain, summed up his thoughts on the atmospheric river storm unloading on Los Angeles in a Monday post on X.

Flash flood warnings remain in effect until 6 p.m. PT Monday for much of the Los Angeles region, including Pasadena, Glendale and Santa Clarita, the National Weather Service said.

In a single day, Los Angeles has so far received just over 10 inches of rain, the National Weather Service said in a post on X. This is nearly two-thirds of the area's annual average for precipitation.

Large eucalyptus trees, toppled by high winds, collapsed onto multiple cars parked in front of homes in Santa Cruz, Calif., on Sunday, a video posted by the Weather Channel shows.

Forceful winds reached about 60 mph in Santa Cruz County on Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.

Residents in areas of Southern California are left with severe damage from mudslides following the winter storm that brought a deluge of rain.

While Southern California saw record-breaking amounts of rain on Monday, as much as two feet of snow was observed across parts of the northern Sierra Nevada, along Nevada's border, according to the National Weather Service. More snow is expected through Tuesday.

According to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office, an unidentified man died after a tree crashed into his one-story home in Boulder Creek, Calif., on Sunday.

Deputies arrived at the house around 3:20 p.m. local time. Two people were inside the home when the tree fell. They said one resident managed to escape, but the fallen tree trapped the man inside. He died from his injuries.

This marks the second reported death related to the storm.

UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain, who has been briefing reporters on the possible impacts of the atmospheric river storm now drenching California, warned on Monday that the system pounding Los Angeles was "now re-intensifying," bringing heightened risk of flash flooding.

With heavy rain still falling across Los Angeles, a debris flow in the Beverly Crest neighborhood buried cars and damaged homes Monday, according to KNX News reporter Jon Baird.

Strong blasts of winds have been blowing through California's mountains. The most powerful gusts at Ward Mountain in Fresno County were reported at 162 mph.

Wind gusts in Palisades Tahoe were around 148 mph and 125 mph around Mammoth Mountain.

For people in Southern California affected by the winter storm and in need of a shelter, the American Red Cross of Central California lists three ways to find an open shelter.

1. Visit RedCross.org/shelter

2. Download the Red Cross Emergency phone app

3. Call 1-800-733-2767

An "ARkStorm" is a colloquial term for an "atmospheric river (AR) 1,000 (k) year storm." Dr. Lucy Jones, a seismologist in Southern California, explains that the current California atmospheric river won't last for weeks, unlike the historic ARkStorm in the winter of 1861-62.

Record rainfall, mudslides and downed trees were seen in Southern California as a result of the winter storm.

Thrill seekers and explorers will have to put their adventures on hold on Monday. Several major attractions are citing inclement weather for shuttering tourist spots like the Los Angeles Zoo and a popular stretch of the San Francisco Bay.

Here's a list of some closed attractions throughout California:

• Los Angeles Zoo

• SeaWorld San Diego

• Griffith Observatory

• Six Flags Magic Mountain

• California Botanic Garden

• Point Reyes National Seashore

• Burbank hiking trails

For those who don't mind a wetter adventure, Disneyland remains open to visitors.

Downtown Los Angeles was drenched with more than a month's worth of rain on Sunday, making it the wettest day there in more than 20 years.

Rainfall totals over the past two days in other areas of Los Angeles County skyrocketed as well. Here's a look at the National Weather Service's two-day rainfall totals as of 4 a.m. local time:

• Bel Air: 9.25 inches

• Downtown Los Angeles: 5.48 inches

• Pasadena: 4.33 inches

• Santa Monica Airport: 4.52 inches

• Santa Barbara: 3.88 inches

• Topanga: 9.94 inches

• Ventura: 3.48 inches

Northern California school closings:

• Yuba College

• Sierra College

• Tahoe Truckee Unified School District

• Grass Valley School District

• Marysville Joint Unified School District

• Saint Francis High School

• Jesuit High School

• Yuba City Unified School District is open with some exceptions

• Some schools in Rocklin Unified School District

• Some schools in Sacramento City Unified School District

• Nearly two dozen schools in Sonoma County

• Some schools in East Side Union High School District in the South Bay

• Some public schools in Lake County

Southern California school closings:

• Santa Barbara Unified Schools

• Cal State Los Angeles

• Cal State Northridge

• Cal State Long Beach

• Cal State Fullerton

Scientists are saying that climate change and El Niño, a climate pattern caused by the warming of the Pacific Ocean, are the culprits for the extreme weather that California is experiencing this winter. Here's what USA Today reported:

Multiple weather phenomena are conspiring to make these storms particularly damaging. Warm water provides energy to storms, and record-high ocean water temperatures, likely from climate change, are being detected around the world.

Additionally, the Pacific Ocean is also seeing the effects of a more localized El Nino, where weakening trade winds reduce the upwelling of ocean waters and allow surface waters to bake in the sun and grow warmer still. And California, coming off years of drought and wildfires, is particularly vulnerable to mudslides and flooding.

"The atmospheric river firehose is aimed at Los Angeles," tweeted Meteorologist Ryan Maue. "The onslaught has just begun from this treacherous bomb cyclone."

The National Weather Service warned of an “extremely dangerous situation unfolding” in the Hollywood Hills area.

“Life-threatening landslides and additional flash flooding expected overnight tonight. Avoid travel if at all possible,” the weather service said in a post on X.

There were reports of a mudslide that caused a gas leak, forcing residents to evacuate in the Hollywood Hills region, while another mudslide caused severe damage to multiple homes in Studio City.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsay Horvath on Sunday evening urged residents of Topanga and Soledad canyons to evacuate ahead of possible mudslides. “If you have not already left, please gather your family, your pets, your medications and leave immediately,” Horvath said.

The National Weather Service in San Diego has reported widespread moderate to heavy rain throughout Southern California. As of Monday morning, parts of the San Bernardino area has received about 8.5 inches of rainfall. A flood watch is also in effect for a portion of southwest California until Tuesday morning.

The Yuba City Police Department said that David Gomes, 82, was killed Sunday in his backyard after being struck by a falling redwood tree in Yuba City, about 40 miles north of Sacramento.

“Through the investigation, it appeared Gomes was possibly using a ladder to try and clear the tree away from his residence when it fell on him,” police said in a statement on its Facebook page.

Police said his neighbor reported seeing Gomes at around 3 p.m. local time and believed they heard the tree fall a couple of hours later.

Winds were blowing at about 50 miles per hour, according to CNN.

What exactly is an atmospheric river anyway? The CW affiliate KTLA breaks it down:

An atmospheric river is basically a conveyor belt of moisture from the Pacific Ocean — and while they’re not on land like typical rivers, they do contain enough water to be classified as rivers, U.S. Geological Survey explains.

Technically, an atmospheric river is a channel of water vapor that gets picked up near Hawaii, then transported by atmospheric wind directly into the West.

You might’ve heard the phrase, "Pineapple Express," which is another, unscientific term.

Read more from KTLA here.

Kids who attend public schools in Los Angeles, who may be hoping for a rainy day off from school, are out of luck. Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), California's largest public school system, has decided to keep schools open.

"We will continue to closely monitor conditions at all schools, and especially at those schools which are more often impacted by the rain," LAUSD officials announced early Monday, according to the Los Angeles Times.

"Individual school closures, if any, will be determined based on safety and on guidance provided by City and County response teams. ... Please use your best judgment based on the conditions where you live and your ability to safely travel to your school/work location."

Remote learning will be available for students who cannot access campuses.

Residents in Southern California are dealing with flooding, damage from high winds and mudslides as a result of gushing rain from the storm.

Over 500,000 customers have reported power outages in California after heavy rain and gusty winds barreled through the state on Sunday.

The bulk of customers with no power, over 400,000, are being reported by the Pacific Gas and Electric Company.

The hardest hit area is Santa Clara County, about 50 miles south of San Francisco.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency on Sunday for eight counties in Southern California, including Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

The declaration will support storm response and recovery efforts in those areas.

Newsom also listed five things Californians can do to stay safe in the severe storm, which include:

1. Stay connected by dialing 311 to get help or ask questions.

2. Get your info from a trusted source, like a state, government or emergency management website.

3. Prepare for high winds and take cover under shelter; stay away from windows; stay clear of roadways; and watch for flying debris.

4. Travel safely. Avoid nonessential travel during the peak of the storm expected Monday. Do not walk, swim or drive through floodwaters.

5. Be ready for power outages. Keep devices charged and flashlights available for every member of the household.

Get more tips on how to stay safe here.