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California drivers warned to reconsider Christmas travel plans ahead of storms

California officials and weather forecasters urged holiday travelers to avoid the roads on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day ahead of a series of powerful winter storms that threatened to slam the state with relentless rains, heavy winds and mountain snow through Friday.

Millions of people are expected to travel across the state. They will likely meet hazardous, if not impossible, traveling conditions as several atmospheric rivers were forecast to make their way through the state, the National Weather Service warned.

“If you’re planning to be on the roads for the Christmas holidays, please reconsider your plans,” said Ariel Cohen, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Los Angeles.

Forecasters said Southern California could see its wettest Christmas in years and warned about flash flooding, mudslides and debris flows in areas burned by last January’s wildfires. Los Angeles County officials said Tuesday they were knocking on the doors of some 380 particularly vulnerable households to order them to leave.

Most areas saw scattered showers Tuesday morning, and the system was expected to pick up in the evening and intensify into Christmas Eve. Some regions will see rain and winds taper off Wednesday before another storm moves in.

Much of the Sacramento Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area were under a flood watch and a high wind warning through Friday. Forecasters warned of heavy snow and gusts for parts of the Sierra Nevada starting Tuesday that will create “near white-out conditions” and make it “nearly impossible” to travel through the mountain passes.

There’s also a risk of severe thunderstorms and a small chance of tornadoes along the northern coast.

Heavy rain and flash flooding that started Saturday in Northern California already led to water rescues and at least one death, local officials said. Shasta County Sheriff Michael L. Johnson on Monday declared a state of emergency to prepare for more rain and allow the state to help with hazard mitigation and search and rescue operations.

Southern California typically gets half an inch to 1 inch (1.3 to 2.5 centimeters) of rain this time of year, but this week many areas could see between 4 and 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters), National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Wofford said. It could be even more in the mountains. Gusts could reach 60 to 80 mph (96.5 to 127.8 kph) in parts of the central coast.

Potential widespread flooding, rockslides and mudslides are highly likely, especially in areas burned by last January’s deadly Palisades fire, he added. Officials expect multiple road closures and airport delays during the storms. Downed trees and powerlines are also possible. Parts of Los Angeles were under evacuation warnings starting Tuesday.

The county had put up K-rails, a type of barrier, around the burn scar to help catch sliding debris during rainstorms. Residents could also pick up free sandbags to protect their homes, said Kathryn Barger, a Los Angeles County supervisor representing Altadena.

“When experts are projecting this type of rain in this short period of time, it’s serious,” Barger said.

Many people in burn scar areas decided not to leave after receiving the evacuation notification, Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell said Tuesday. He urged them to reconsider.

“The threat posed by this storm is real and imminent,” he said.

Local and state officials are gearing up to respond to emergencies through the week. The state has deployed resources and first responders to a number of counties along the coast and in Southern California ahead of the storms. The California National Guard is also on standby to assist.

An atmospheric river is a long, narrow band of water vapor that forms over an ocean and flows through the sky, transporting moisture from the tropics to northern latitudes.

Earlier this month, stubborn atmospheric rivers drenched Washington state with nearly 5 trillion gallons (19 trillion liters) of rain in a week, threatening record flood levels, meteorologists said. That rainfall was supercharged by warm weather and air, plus unusual weather conditions tracing back as far as a tropical cyclone in Indonesia.

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Associated Press writers Sophie Austin in Sacramento, California, and Jessica Hill in Las Vegas contributed to this report.

McConnell says after weeks of speculation that hospitalization was due to a fall

By WTOP Staff
(CNN) — Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky on Sunday announced, after weeks of speculation, that he had a fall last month that landed him in the hospital.“My doctors have confirmed that I didn’t break any bones or suffer a concussion. I didn’t have a heart attack or a stroke. I don’t have any tumors or hemorrhages. But I was briefly unconscious and was taken to the hospital. While receiving excellent care over the past several weeks, I’ve also had to deal with a mild case of pneumonia,” he said in a statement.McConnell also provided a photo showing him smiling next to his wife, Elaine Chao. He appears to have a copy of Sunday’s Washington Post sports section on his lap.McConnell said he’s moved from a hospital to a rehabilitation center to continue regaining his strength. His doctors have run through “every test they can think of” to try to determine what caused the incident.The former Senate majority leader said he “won’t be able to return to the Senate floor to vote quite yet” but he’s “been working closely” with legislative staff in the meantime.The statement comes after weeks of questions over McConnell’s health, as aides for the 84-year-old were fiercely protective about releasing information on his condition. The lack of information sparked speculation and rumors online that his health had significantly deteriorated.McConnell, a childhood polio survivor, has faced a series of health issues in recent years, including multiple falls. In 2023, he froze midsentence during a news conference.Along with his own statement, McConnell included a note from the attending physician of Congress, who described the injuries after the fall at his Washington, DC, home as “minor.”“A comprehensive evaluation by a multidisciplinary team determined that he had no fractures, cardiac abnormalities, stroke, tumor, or hemorrhage. Early in his hospitalization, he developed pneumonia, which responded rapidly to antibiotic treatment,” the physician said, adding that the senator has “focused on physical therapy and strategies to reduce his risk of future falls.”Sunday’s statement finally provides an answer to the circumstances of McConnell’s hospitalization on June 14, which has been shrouded in mystery.In his statement, McConnell indirectly addressed why it took so long to share what sent him to the hospital.“You all know how folks of my generation often hesitate to share the vulnerability that comes with growing older. Even in the public eye, I feel that same instinct — I can’t help it,” he said, addressing his “fellow Kentuckians.”McConnell said he has work to do before retiring at the end of his term.“You’re right to expect your representatives to work hard for you. And part of my decision to retire at the end of my term this coming January was being honest about the demands of Senate work. But I still have unfinished business to complete on your behalf, and I have every intention of finishing the job you elected me to do,” he said.When the incident occurred, his spokesperson said only that McConnell was “admitted to the hospital” and was “receiving excellent care.”Video obtained exclusively by CNN last week showed emergency responders taking McConnell to an ambulance on a stretcher after being called to his home.Weeks into McConnell’s absence, an EMS recording published by an independent journalist indicated emergency responders were called to his home for an “unconscious” person for a “cardiac arrest,” and a paramedic is heard saying, “CPR in progress.”After the audio was published, McConnell’s spokesman released another statement saying the Kentucky Republican remained hospitalized as “he continues his recovery” without providing specifics.Some high-profile Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, issued statements last week saying they recently spoke with McConnell. CNN senior political commentator Scott Jennings told CNN’s Kasie Hunt on “The Arena” that he talked with McConnell on the phone Tuesday and that his “voice sounded strong.”“I’ve had more than my share of experience with physical vulnerabilities,” McConnell said in his statement Sunday.In March 2023, he suffered a concussion and broken ribs after a fall. Months later, he froze midsentence during a news conference. CNN later reported he had suffered two other falls earlier that year.The attending physician noted that “McConnell has experienced several falls throughout the year that have been attributed to his post-polio condition.”Adults who had polio during childhood can develop post-polio syndrome even decades later. Symptoms include gradual weakening of muscles, fatigue, and muscle and joint paint. There is no specific treatment for post-polio syndrome, but patients may receive physical, occupational and speech therapy, medications for certain symptoms or use mobility aids such as walkers and braces.It’s not clear how common post-polio syndrome is, but some studies estimate 25% to 40% of polio survivors experience it, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.McConnell’s statement came the same day it was announced that his colleague Lindsey Graham, a longtime Republican senator from South Carolina, died following a sudden illness. He was 71.This story has been updated with additional information.The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
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