Flood watches spanned the coast and valleys as a new rain band formed offshore.
SAN FRANCISCO — Bands of heavy rain tied to an atmospheric river soaked California on Christmas week, flooding streets, closing a coastal airport overnight and delaying flights across the state as forecasters tracked another surge of moisture into Friday.
The storm struck during one of the year’s busiest getaway windows, forcing travelers to rebook flights and motorists to detour around high water and slide-prone canyon roads. Officials said the strongest cells hit Wednesday and early Thursday, with brief lulls followed by new bursts that challenged storm drains. Flood watches covered large stretches from the North Coast to Los Angeles, and mountain communities prepared for snow and strong ridge-top winds. The system’s staggered waves complicated airport operations and kept road crews on rotating shifts as the next band organized offshore.
On the Central Coast, Santa Barbara Airport suspended operations before dawn Thursday after floodwater pooled on runways and in the infield; the airport later reopened once crews cleared standing water and checked lighting systems. In the Bay Area, strong winds triggered a ground-delay program that throttled arrivals into San Francisco International, pushing carriers to reset schedules through the afternoon. Farther south, pulses of rain pounded the San Gabriel foothills and Santa Monica Mountains, where recent burn scars remained unstable. “Many areas could see between 4 and 8 inches this week, with even more in the mountains,” National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Wofford said. Inland, mud covered local lanes near Wrightwood and rockfall forced closures on stretches of Angeles Crest Highway.
Emergency managers reported multiple swift-water rescues after motorists attempted to cross flooded low spots. Crews also responded to minor slides in canyons above Malibu and in parts of the Inland Empire. In coastal neighborhoods, tides combined with runoff to push water into intersections and alleys. Utility trackers noted scattered outages as gusts toppled limbs into lines. Airport officials said staffing was supplemented to handle rebookings and tarmac congestion after the morning slowdown. In Santa Cruz County and the South Bay, forecasters issued short-fused flash-flood warnings as narrow bands pushed ashore, bringing rain rates near or above an inch per hour. Coastal fire authorities distributed sandbags and staged equipment in case evacuation orders expanded in vulnerable tracts below steep hillsides.
The holiday storm continued a wet pattern that has soaked parts of the West this month. In Southern California, canyons that burned in January’s fires have seen repeated debris-flow alerts when storms arrive. The Los Angeles River channel, engineered to move floodwater quickly, ran high on Thursday as smaller tributaries poured in from the foothills. The Sierra Nevada braced for heavy snow and periods of whiteout, with highway controls likely at Donner and Tioga once totals mounted. Forecasters said the moisture tap remained open in the eastern Pacific, a setup that can prolong impacts even as individual cells weaken.
Transportation officials said they would reassess highway closures overnight and reopen lanes only after geotechnical checks on slopes that shed mud or rock. Airport managers briefed carriers on anticipated staffing and gate flow for Friday morning as airlines rebuilt rotations. City and county emergency operations centers planned additional updates before dawn Friday, when the next rain band was expected to reach the coast. Local government statements said crews would continue patrols along rivers and check pump stations through the night. If rainfall intensifies, temporary shelter space could be extended for residents from low-lying streets and canyon zones.
By late Thursday, showers lingered along parts of the coast while heavier rain gathered offshore. Flood watches remained active into Friday for multiple counties. The next formal forecast briefing was expected Friday morning.
Author note: Last updated December 25, 2025.