Second powerful storm in as many days hits California, warning of hurricane-like winds issued

LOS ANGELES (AP) — California is bracing for a potentially worst-case scenario Sunday dangerous storm It poses a threat of hurricane-force winds and flooding and landslides in parts of the state as it moves down the coast over the next few days.

“This storm is predicted to be one of the largest and most significant storms in the history of our county and our goal is to respond to it without any deaths or serious injuries,” Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown told reporters Saturday. “

Evacuation warnings and orders were in effect for Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Ventura and Monterey counties. Classes were canceled Monday in Santa Barbara County schools.

storm, called a “pineapple Express” That’s because a plume of moisture from an atmospheric river stretching from the Pacific Ocean to near Hawaii reached Northern California on Saturday while much of the state was under a wind, wave or flood watch of some kind.

By early Sunday morning, the National Weather Service issued a rare “Hurricane Force Wind Warning” For the Central Coast, winds of up to 92 mph (148 kph) will be expected from the Monterey Peninsula to the northern part of San Luis Obispo County.

The storm is expected to move down the coast and hit the Los Angeles area with torrential rain, flash flooding and high-altitude mountain snowfall on Sunday and Orange County and San Diego on Monday. Heavy to moderate rain is expected across Southern California through Tuesday.

The National Weather Service forecast up to 6 inches (15 centimeters) of rain in coastal and valley areas of Southern California, with up to 12 inches (31 centimeters) of rain expected in the foothills and mountains. Forecasters have predicted landslides, debris flows and flooding.

This is the second time in the last few days that there has been flooding in California atmospheric river, a long strip of moisture that forms over the Pacific Ocean. The first reached the San Francisco Bay Area on Wednesday, causing heavy rain and snow that halted cable car service before heading down the coast.

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