Round 4 of HEAVY RAIN gets READY TO POUND AN ALREADY SOGGY SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Two rivers meet at the Los Angeles/Orange County Boarder at the Los Coyotes Riverbed.  Water levels rose almost to 50 feet high, and nearly overflowed its banks on Wednesday night. 
Randy Economy Photo

By Randy Economy
http://www.economy4abc.blogspot.com/
1:12 a.m. PST
1-21-10

Los Angeles, California -- Are you ready for Round 4 of this obnoxious weather here in otherwise "sunny Southern California?"

Torrential downpours from a strengthening El Nino, already inundating parts of California, were expected to pound our area and just about all of the Golden State on Thursday.


"The city of Los Angeles continues to operate on high alert, with all city departments monitoring and responding to all storm-related activities," Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said Wednesday evening in a televised press conference aired on every news program  in LA.. 

Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster urged all of his residents to just "stay indoors, and avoid going outside altogether."

Rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inch were recorded all over Metro LA on Wedensday and most of it fell in just 3 to 4 hours.

According to the National Weather Service,  Long Beach reported over 2 inches, and Cerritos had a little more than 1.91 inches. This weeks storms (number 4 will hit today, in case you are keeping track) could dump 5 inches to 8 inches of rain here in the LA Basin by Thursday night and up to 10 inches in the foothills and mountains.

These nasty storms flooded our already jammed packed freeways, including the San Diego Freeway at Lakewood and parts of the Long Beach Freeway in Long Beach and Compton were totally under a foot of water.

The water in the concrete lined Los Coyotes Creek between the boarder of Los Angeles and Orange County crested near the top on Wednesday night, prompting warnings to stay totally away from overcrossings if you happen to be out in this mess via "foot travel."

Authorities warned of possibly severe mudslides on hillsides stripped by last year's forest fires and ordered evacuations for more than 800 homes.

My favorite quote of the day came from new Los Angeles Police Department Cheif Charlie Beck when he told a press conference in Downtown on Wednesday night: "Let me be very clear. If a Los Angeles police officer comes to your door and tells you to leave, that you're being evacuated, leave. We're not doing it because we think your lawn is going to get dirty. We're not doing it because your carpet's going to get wet. We're doing it because your life is at risk."  Well said, Cheif!

Here in the city of Norwalk, which for generations has had major flooding issues when it rains this bad due to it's typography, is  providing free sandbags (sorry, first come, first served) at different locations throughout the Keystone City, including:

Fire station 20: 562-863-0214, 12110 Adoree St., cross street Norwalk Boulevard.
Fire station 115: 562-868-5212, 11317 Alondra Blvd.
Aquatic Pavillion, 12301 Sproul St.
Gerdes Park, 14700 Gridley Road.
Hermosillo Park, 11959 162nd St.
Bob White Park, 12120 Hoxie Ave.
Holifield Park, 12500 Excelsior Drive.
Transportation/Public Services Facility, 12650 Imperial Hwy., use Civic Center Drive gate entrance.

For information call the Norwalk Public Services office at 562-929-5511.

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