Orange County was bracing for possible mountain flooding, gale winds, and heavy rains as voters head to the polls for midterm elections Nov. 8.
A winter storm rolled into the region on Monday with light rain but was expected to bring heavy rainfall overnight, soaking the Santa Ana Mountains with about two to four inches, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) Meteorologist Brian Adams in San Diego told The Epoch Times.
“The majority of rainfall will be falling [Nov. 8], with the bulk of it certainly occurring Tuesday afternoon and early evening,” Adams said.
The weather service advised voters to keep an eye on travel conditions as they head to the polls during the storm.
Most Orange County cities are expected to see 1.5 inches of rain, with more falling in the coastal areas, according to NOAA. Temperatures are expected to be in the low 60s during the day and dip to 45 degrees at night Nov. 9, according to the weather service.
The storm will bring high winds from a strong upper-level area of low pressure to the region and tap into atmospheric moisture, Adams said. As a result, the heavy rainfall could trigger flooding, especially in areas recently burned by wildfire, including the region recovering from the 2020 Silverado Fire along Silver Canyon Road and Bond Fire in Santiago Canyon, northeast of Irvine.
The National Weather Service issued a flood watch advisory that will be in effect from Nov. 8 the morning of Nov. 9 for Orange County inland areas and the Santa Ana Mountains and foothills. Excessive runoff could result in river and creek flooding and flooding in other low-lying areas.
“It will certainly be more of an event for Orange County given the Santa Ana Mountains tapping into some more of that up-sloping flow,” Adams said. “So that’ll definitely be something to keep an eye on there for potential mudslides and debris through some of the mountainous terrain.”
NOAA also issued a wind advisory for San Diego, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties, including the Inland Empire. The wind advisory also covers Coachella Valley and San Diego County deserts. Residents should expect winds from 20 to 30 miles per hour with gusts up to 45 miles per hour Nov. 8.
Drivers are advised to use extra caution in those areas, the weather service said. “We do have a gale warning out as well for some of the coastal waters,” Adams said. “We typically expect really strong winds with about 40-miles-per-hour winds over the waters.”
In Los Angeles County, the city of Duarte issued an evacuation order for about 25 homes in the area that was affected by the Fish Fire in June. The order started at 11 p.m. Nov. 7. The city was also closing many streets and the city’s transit service through Nov. 8. The Duarte Community Center was opened as an evacuation site for displaced residents.
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