Mother Nature is on a Tear In Orange County

Pacific Coast Highway is now CLOSED indefinitely between Camino Capistrano and Avenida Pico in San Clemente due to the weather. The hillside and sidewalk are actively shifting making the area a hazard for foot, bike and car traffic. With the rain continuing through Thursday, the situation will almost certainly worsen. San Clemente police are warning everyone - avoid the area at all costs.

Dana Point is experiencing weather related hazards of its own. A flash flood watch is in effect through Thursday evening. The last storm opened up a sinkhole in Dana Point just under the Dana Point “waterfall” at Baby Beach and temporarily closed a portion of Dana Point Harbor Road. The sinkhole was the subject of a February 6 article in the Patch. Throughout the day and night, sirens have been heard wailing throughout the city.

Monday’s downpour set records all over California but the Southland was particularly hard hit. Dozens of streets flooded from the Palos Verdes Peninsula through Long Beach and down here into Orange County. Hollywood Burbank Airport reported a record 1.4 inches of rain, breaking the old record of 1.03 set in 1993. The desert of Palm Springs saw 0.45 inches, surpassing the previous 0.41 inch record, again set in 1993. Long Beach set an all-time rain record at 3.87 inches.

Emergency personnel across Southern Californian, and in particular in the burn areas, are on high alert for mud and debris flows. Seal Beach looked more like a trash dump than coastal paradise after the last deluge. The beach was littered with plastic crates, furniture, food containers, a stuffed toy bear among other garbage captured by runoff from the inland cities and deposited on the shore. The beaches are the end of the line, meaning that's where the refuse piles up.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports almost all Southern California areas at over 100% of normal rainfall to date, with Irvine clocking in at a whopping 162% above normal. And the rain just keeps coming.

The weather service predicts periods of heaving rain tonight. More rain is anticipated to continue through tomorrow. Expect the temperatures to be cold and the winds breezy. Friday, a shower or two is predicted with some sunshine finally returning Saturday. I would say So Cal looks more like Seattle, but have you seen those pictures? They are buried in snow! Stay dry and if you can, stay inside.

Orange County Sheriff's Department Photo