Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Wednesday for six Southern California counties hit by powerful storms that have produced flooding and wind damage.
The declaration covers Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Shasta counties.
Newsom made a similar declaration this week for eight Northern California counties affected by the same storm system.
The emergency proclamation allows for the rapid mobilization of state resources and support for local governments under the California Disaster Assistance Act and authorizes the deployment of the California National Guard.
It also permits the state Department of Transportation to seek federal assistance for repairs to damaged roads and highways.
State agencies have deployed dozens of fire engines, swift-water rescue teams, hand crews, heavy equipment, helicopters, and an incident management team, supported by more than 300 personnel, to assist with response efforts.
"California is acting early and decisively to do all we can to get ahead of dangerous winter storms," Newsom said in a release. "The state has pre-positioned resources, activated emergency authorities, and we are working closely with local partners to protect communities and keep Californians safe."
A series of atmospheric rivers, long and narrow bands of moisture in the atmosphere that funnel heavy rain, has brought high-intensity rainfall and strong winds statewide to already saturated soil. That has heightened the risk of flooding, landslides, debris flows, and rapidly rising creeks and rivers.
Recently burned areas in Southern California, including the Palisades, face an increased threat of mudslides and debris flows from the heavy rain.
Los Angeles County Fire Department officials said there were no reports of major flooding at any burn scars, but crews were monitoring conditions closely, the Los Angeles Times reported.
In San Bernardino County, authorities have been dealing with a debris flow near Wrightwood that began after rain came Wednesday morning, according to the Times.
The National Weather Service on Wednesday predicted a threat of thunderstorms, with severe wind gusts and a 2% chance of a tornado along portions of the Bay Area and Central Coast, KTVU-TV reported.
Strong winds and rain are expected to persist on Christmas Day.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.