This week, there’s a possibility of tornadoes in Southern California, as weather experts have indicated that we’re looking at the first major storm of the season thanks to a strong El Niño.
According to the National Weather Service, a powerful storm system is forecasted to impact the Southern California area from Wednesday through Thursday.
Heavy rainfall is anticipated along the Central and Southern California coast, stretching from places like Monterey and Big Sur down to Santa Barbara, Malibu, Long Beach, and Newport Beach, which could experience a slight risk of flash flooding.
Most regions are expected to receive between 0.5 to 1.5 inches of rain, with some areas possibly seeing up to 3 inches. Downtown Los Angeles might record 1 to 1.5 inches of rain, potentially marking it as the wettest October for the city since 2009.
“We are seeing rain totals trending upward,” meteorologist Bryan Lewis shared. He mentioned that late Wednesday morning through to late Thursday morning will likely be the peak period for the storm.
There’s also concern about debris flow, specifically over burn scars where a mix of rocks, mud, and other materials could tumble onto Highway 1, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Interestingly, this wetter-than-normal season may even lead to tornadoes forming in Southern California, though meteorologists noted that the risk is much higher in Arizona.
Furthermore, there could be strong and damaging wind gusts reaching up to 60 miles per hour from smaller, intense thunderstorms along the coast. While these winds may spawn tornadoes, if they do occur, they would likely be short-lived.
The current El Niño season has significantly raised ocean temperatures, now about 10 degrees above normal, which adds heat and moisture to the storm system as it moves toward the coast.
Historically, a very strong El Niño in 1983 did produce a tornado that caused damage to over 100 homes in Los Angeles.
As for now, the National Weather Service has placed the coast from Monterey to Orange County under a marginal risk of severe weather on Wednesday, with a low chance of tornadoes. Additionally, flood watches are in effect for the next couple of days.
