Sepulveda Basin closed due to flooding at Burbank/405 fwy, Burbank/Hayvenhurst, Woodley/Victory via @LAFD pic.twitter.com/y1BDNgz44U
— Julie Sone (@ABC7JulieSone) January 5, 2016
Parched and drought-stricken Los Angeles is finally set up to receive a succession of rainy days; it began in earnest this morning and the double-edged nature of this rain sword is already apparent. The rain has brought water in its first several hours, yes, but it's brought repercussions along with it, like flooding and road closures. Weather experts have predicted that the whole week is going to be a wet one (more on that below); that kind of slow, steady rainfall over time is just what one expert warned makes everything "soggy and unstable" and potentially dangerous. Before things get totally out of control, here are a few images that attempt to get a handle on what's going on out there after just about half a day of good rain.
Here's what the rain looks like from a scientific point of view:
An area of moderate rain moving through SBA and VTU Counties. Area will move into LA County this morning. #LArain pic.twitter.com/Ge61Nbz2Ao
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) January 5, 2016
Rainfall thru 10:30 AM for Los Angeles County. #LArain #CAwx pic.twitter.com/JEAvGg6vqa
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) January 5, 2016
Here is a look at expected rainfall over the next 24 hours. around 1-3 inches #LArain #ElNino #cawx pic.twitter.com/ZryBks0dvh
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) January 5, 2016
Expected Rainfall thru Friday for SW Calif. will vary between 2"-6" inches. #LArain #ElNino #cawx pic.twitter.com/LJWaoZ21Xo
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) January 5, 2016
And to those on the streets, it looks more like that stranded Mini Cooper:
#LAflood in Boyle Heights. Would be nice for the city to come take care of it before were trapped in here. pic.twitter.com/QKM6dRuoOb
— Chloé (@ChloeDVJ) January 5, 2016
Part of Valley Blvd is under water near Alhambra Ave #ElNino #larain #cawx @lanow @brittny_mejia @RosannaXia pic.twitter.com/bZ9hPw3ZVp
— Ron Lin, LA Times (@ronlin) January 5, 2016
The rain has arrived! LA river filling up outside our @NBCLA studios. #NBC4You pic.twitter.com/p94GCzwcjJ
— Whit Johnson (@WhitNBCLA) January 5, 2016
La rain ain't messin around pic.twitter.com/0pSIboa6Hg
— Hilary Duff (@HilaryDuff) January 5, 2016
This rain ain't no joke. The 2nd of four storms to hit SoCal is here. #Rain #LosAngeles #ElNino @FOXLA pic.twitter.com/H9GlSGm06m
— Christine Devine (@DevineNews) January 5, 2016
Rain! LA #ElNino #LARiver pic.twitter.com/7IPQU8TE5x
— Omar Brownson (@Obrownson) January 5, 2016
· An Expert Explains: What Exactly Should Los Angeles Expect From This Winter's Brewing El Niño? [Curbed LA]