A powerful storm has caused flash flooding in San Diego, California, with a video showing cars being swept away as fast flowing waters tear through the city.
San Diego has declared a state of emergency as extreme flash flooding hit the area on Monday evening. The National Weather Service (NWS) said a record breaking amount of rain—2.7 inches—had fallen as of 8p.m. on Monday, beating the previous record of 1.53 inches in 1967.
In a video posted on X, formerly Twitter, two cars can be seen being swept away in fast flowing water down a street in the city. It is unclear if there were any occupants in the cars at the time.
A woman, who is filming from her balcony that is one or two floors above ground, can be heard saying she is “hella scared” as the floodwaters careen past her home. Trash cans and large tree branches can also be seen being swept away.
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The extremely sodden weather is due to an atmospheric river. Atmospheric rivers are long, narrow regions in the atmosphere that transport water vapor from the Pacific Ocean. When atmospheric rivers make landfall, they typically release this water vapor as either rain or snow, and can cause extreme rainfall or flooding.
The flooding prompted road closures throughout the area, including State Route 78, according to NBC News. The Interstate 15, which goes to Las Vegas, Nevada, was effectively closed after being hit with a deluge of rain.
“I have declared a state of emergency in the City of San Diego due to extreme rainfall and flash flooding,” the city’s mayor, Todd Gloria, said on X. “Please stay safe. Stay home if possible and never attempt to travel on flooded roads.”
The San Diego Fire Department (SDFD) said on X that they had performed “dozens of rescues” from floodwaters throughout Monday. In one video posted by the department, a person can be seen floating on what appears to be a surfboard in moving water as fire crew rescue him. Homeless shelters were also activated, according to the SDFD, and anyone impacted by the storm was asked to travel to a Red Cross center set up at Lincoln High School, 4777 Imperial Ave.
In wider California, preliminary precipitation summaries from the NWS say the heaviest rain fell in Santiago Peak, Los Angeles, with 5.24 inches descending on the area as of 10:45 p.m. on Monday.
NWS meteorologist Brandt Maxwell told NBC News that rain levels in San Diego have been low since October, but said the deluge on Monday is likely to be the last of the season. Newsweek has contacted the NWS for an update via email.
“At least in the short term, it doesn’t look like there’s a whole lot on the horizon for Southern California,” he said.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.