California Begins Assessments of Christmas Floods, Mudslides

Several feet of rain and snow fell across the state over the past five days.

Preliminary reports of the atmospheric river that hit California between Dec. 20 and Dec. 26, 2025. (National Weather Service/Weather Prediction Center).

Christmas Day 2025 was one of catastrophic flooding and landslides for the Golden State, capping an atmospheric river that bore down over much of California and the Pacific Northwest during the holiday season.

Preliminary reports from the Weather Prediction Center found that several areas of California received more than a foot of rain between Dec. 20 and Dec. 26, with mountainous areas receiving two to three feet of snow.