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California rain and flooding disrupt holiday travel plans

The extreme weather is expected to continue into Friday

Michelle Del Rey
Thursday 21 December 2023 16:33 GMT
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Fresh weather warnings in place as wet and windy weekend continues

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Heaving rain and flooding in California is disrupting travel plans ahead of the Christmas holidays.

Los Angeles County residents can expect upwards of 12 inches of rain through Friday, according to the National Weather Service.

On Thursday, flights were delayed at Los Angeles International Airport, San Francisco International Airport and Hollywood Burbank Airport, with the most delays occurring in Northern California.

The storm originated in Northern California and travelled south throughout the week. Santa Barbara and Ventura counties are currently on flood watch until Friday. Several roads in Oxnard in Ventura County remain flooded. Officials have warned of potential power outages.

On Wednesday evening, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office issued evacuation orders for residents in Port Hueneme, a small beach town surrounded by Oxnard and the Santa Barbara Channel due to the extreme amount of rainfall.

Officials advised residents to stay off city streets until the water recedes. The rainfall is expected to continue moving south through Friday and then onto Phoenix, Arizona. The area is currently under flood watch for Friday through Saturday.

According to the American Automobile Association, around 115 people in the US are expected to travel during the 10-day year-end holiday period.

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