Friday, February 18, 2005

"...but girl don't they warn you, it pours, man, it pours.."**

Rain, hail, lightning, thunder.. and flooding...

We have had rain all day, heavy thunderstorms and hail all afternoon. Just before 3PM, the intersections along Foothill Boulevard in this lower part of the "foothills", were all flooded. Water runs from approximately the La Crescenta area downhill to us. The street that connects to our culdesac was also flooded in several places including near the local elementary (and of course, also our intersection). People were attempting to drive through (school had just let out) and getting stuck, which brought out the fire department to effect rescues and keep the kids out of the water, which brought out the news media.

We still have helicopters flying over and reporters on the street along with LAPD. It is very, very unusual to have reporters here. For that matter, LAPD isn't such a visible presence much of the time either. Other places nearby are also flooded- the south facing slopes are getting the worst of the storm cells.

In various places around LA, there are hills and homes sliding, trees falling, roofs collapsing and other flooding. The rainfalls are record this year and this storm and the one behind it have much more rain yet to give. The ground is so saturated that I think the worst is yet to come.

I have a graduated 5-8 inch deep pond between my living room deck door and the garage- covering the entire space, complete with floating objects and submerged pots and planters. I keep trying to contact my son who is driving a little low to the ground sports car. I was hoping his girlfriend could or would drive him home (in her SUV). If the rain doesn't stop, his car isn't likely to make it through the streets, but he isn't answering. This mom's worried.

Channel 2 has online some video of bits of Sunland flooding as well as other places all around LA in their "Storm causing problems in the Southland" story.
So does ABC7 in their "Storm Track Images".

Later update- early evening: son made it home ok; the waters receeded a bit from the deck/patio area and also from the various streets around town; we do have some mudslides and road washouts; the next big wave of the storm is due in around midnight and they are expecting this microclimate area to receive up to a foot of rain by Tuesday. We will need boats to get around long before then. ;-)

**from song: It Never Rains In California



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