Atmospheric river lashes California with heavy rain and wind

Our live coverage for the day has ended. Follow the latest weather news here or read through the updates below.

The worst of the storm occurred on Monday, but rainfall is still forecast for major cities across California.

Here's what to expect during the morning commute on Tuesday:

LOS ANGELES

• Alert: Flood watch until 4 p.m. PT
• Peak rainfall: During the morning commute on Tuesday
• Additional rainfall total: 1-2 inches
• Tuesday morning forecast: Rainfall will be ongoing, and isolated pockets will be heavy at times. Water should still be on roadways and driving is not advised. 

SAN FRANCISCO

• Alert: Coastal flood advisory from 6 a.m. PT to 11 a.m. PT on Saturday
• Rainfall: Rainfall has largely ended for the area. 
• Tuesday morning forecast: Rainfall will have largely subsided but isolated pockets of roadways could still have standing water. 

SAN DIEGO

• Alert: Flood watch until 6 a.m. PT
• Peak rainfall begin/end: Until 3 a.m. PT
• Rainfall total: 1-2 inches
• Tuesday morning forecast: Rainfall will peak in the hours leading up to the morning commute, so water should be on roadways and driving is not advised. 

FRESNO

• Alert: Flood watch until 4 a.m. PT
• Peak rainfall begin/end: Now until 2 a.m. PT
• Rainfall total: 1-2 inches
• Tuesday morning forecast: Rainfall peaking in the hours leading up to the morning commute, so water could be on roadways and travel could be delayed. 

SACRAMENTO

• No alerts at this time
• Rainfall has largely ended for the area
• Tuesday morning forecast: Rainfall will have ended but isolated pockets of standing water could still slow the morning commute.

EUREKA

• Alert: Coastal flood advisory from 6 a.m. to noon PT
• Peak rainfall begin/end: Now until 3 a.m. PT
• Rainfall total: Under an inch
• Tuesday morning forecast: Rainfall will peak in the hours leading up to the morning commute, so water could still be on roadways. 

As a powerful atmospheric river continues to impact Southern California, cities like Los Angeles have seen an incredible start to their year in terms of rainfall.

Since January 1, the weather station has received 10.72 inches through Monday evening PST — equivalent to is about 75% of the yearly average rainfall. 

For comparison, the average yearly rainfall for downtown Los Angeles is 14.25 inches.

Forecast: It is still raining across Southern California. The Weather Prediction Center (WPC) has issued a slight risk for excessive rainfall, or a level 2 of 4, for Southern California, including downtown Los Angeles, for Tuesday.

A marginal risk for excessive rainfall, level 1 of 4, remains over parts of Southern California for Wednesday. 

The Los Angeles Fire Department has shared photos of the dog belonging to a man who had to be rescued from a river on Monday after jumping in to save his pet.

The pet owner was lifted out of the river by helicopter while the dog managed to swim to safety and escape the rapids, the LAFD said.

“This pup was happy to be alive, and eager to reunite with his human,” LAFD said in a post on X on Monday night.

Flash flooding is possible for San Diego County in the coming hours as heavier rainfall reaches the area, according to a warning from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Weather Prediction Center.

A flash flood warning remains in effect for Riverside County, southeastern Orange County and northwestern San Diego County for the next hour or so, with more flash flooding possible as the rainfall picks up. 

San Diego County may see 0.25 to 0.75 inches of rainfall per hour, with rainfall totals accumulating between 1 and 2 inches.

Moderate risk: A moderate risk for excessive rainfall, or a level 3 of 4, remains in effect for the couple of hours across Southern California before dropping to a slight risk for excessive rainfall, or a level 2 of 4, for the day on Tuesday. 

Flood watches have dropped across Northern California. And, the total population under flood watches across Central California, Southern California and parts of Arizona and Nevada is over 30 million people. 

A powerful atmospheric river-fueled storm is hovering above Southern California, unleashing torrential rain and floods across the metro-Los Angeles area.

The slow-moving storm has also turned deadly, with at least two confirmed deaths as trees topple over homes and streets. Intense flooding and mudslides have also damaged many homes in the state.

The worst of the storm’s rainfall will slowly shift south throughout the day, with the threat shifting from Los Angeles to the San Diego area by Monday evening.

Here's what to know:

• Over 10 inches of rain: Portions of Los Angeles County have accumulated more than 10 inches of rain since Sunday, raising the risk of flash floods and mudslides in the inundated area. Some areas reached nearly 1 foot of rainfall, with Bel Air seeing 11.68 inches of rain and Sepulveda Canyon accumulating 11.51 inches of water, according to the National Weather Service.
• Storm-related deaths: At least two California residents have died from falling trees in the powerful storm. Those killed include a 41-year-old man from Sacramento County, a 45-year-old Santa Cruz County resident.
• Snow piles up in California mountains: Heavy snowfall associated with the atmospheric river-fueled storm system over California has been helping with the snowpack accumulation in the Sierra Nevada mountains, which is crucial to the water supply. Heavy snow measuring some 2-feet deep is burying the state's mountains — as of February 5, the California snowpack is at 72% of normal conditions, according to the National Weather Service.
• Unhoused in the storm: One hundred unhoused people were evacuated from a tiny home complex Monday due to flooding, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said during a news conference. She adds that evacuations are ongoing.
• Biden makes surprise comments: President Joe Biden unexpectedly made comments via phone during a news conference, saying he and California Gov. Gavin Newsom are working closely to get resources mobilized.
• Highways and roads closed: Several major roads remain closed due to storm damage and debris pile up. Benedict Canyon Drive in the Beverly Hills area is “impassable” between Sunset Boulevard and Mulholland Drive Monday afternoon, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation said on X. The storm also chipped off parts of the Pacific Coast Highway in Ventura County, which now remains closed.

The latest Weather Prediction Center (WPC) reports show the impact of the powerful storm bringing record-setting precipitation in parts of California.

Here are some notable rainfall totals over the latest two-day period, according to the WPC:

• Bel Air Hotel: 11.64 inches
• Sepulveda Canyon: 11.64 inches
• Stunt Ranch: 11.07 inches
• Beverly Hills: 7.95 inches
• Downtown Los Angeles: 7.01 inches

Downtown Los Angeles's 7.01 inches in two days is the area's third-wettest two-day period on record as of Sunday.

Here are the top five wettest two-day periods for Downtown Los Angeles: 

1. 7.98” ending Jan 1, 1934
2. 7.44” ending Jan 26, 1956
3. 7.01” ongoing since yesterday
4. 6.51” ending Dec 29, 2004
5. 6.36” ending March 2, 1938

Excessive rainfall warnings: The excessive rainfall across Southern California has been downgraded to a moderate risk, or a level 3 of 4, with the latest update from the WPC.

Over 16 million people remain under the moderate risk area, including Downtown Los Angeles, as the rainfall total is likely to keep rising.

Daily rainfall records have also been shattered on Monday in parts of Southern California, according to data from the National Weather Service:

• Downtown Los Angeles: 2.76 inches (old record 2.3 inches set in 1901)
• Los Angeles International Airport: 2.37 inches (old record 1.42 inches set in 1978)
• Long Beach Airport: 2.31 inches (old record 1.4 inches set in 1978)
• Bob Hope Airport: 2.08 inches (old record 1.46 inches set in 2009)
• Palmdale Regional Airport: 1.37 inches (old record 0.61 inches set in 1948)

Flood watches remain for around 35 million people across the state and may be allowed to expire across Central California Tuesday morning. 

The Pacific Coast Highway along California's coast is closed in at least two places after storm damage made it unsafe, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) said Monday. 

In Ventura County, which is directly above Los Angeles County, the highway is closed in both directions from Las Posas Road to Sycamore Canyon Road "due to washed out road from storm erosion," Caltrans District 7 said in a post on X. 

The highway is also closed both ways in Monterey County near Limekiln State Park due to a landslide on the road, Caltrans District 5 said in a post on X. 

As a powerful atmospheric river-fueled storm continues to bring heavy rain and gusty winds slamming California, flight delays have increased across major state airports.

Here are the latest flight cancellations and delays into and out of major airports for the last 48 hours (as of 7:40 p.m. PT), according to FlightAware: 

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

• Canceled: 60+
• Delayed: 1,100+

San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

• Canceled: 255+
• Delayed: 840+

Sacramento International Airport (SMF)

• Canceled: 45+
• Delayed: 120+

San Diego International Airport (SAN)

• Canceled: 30+
• Delayed: 320+

Metro Oakland International Airport (OAK)

• Canceled: 35+
• Delayed: 145+