Strong Storm Hits Area

Flash-flood watches were issued for Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties late Monday as a massive Pacific storm began pounding Southern California with drenching rain and powerful winds that could gust to near hurricane force.

Forecasters said the heaviest rain is expected this morning, with as much as 12 inches by this afternoon in the mountains above Santa Barbara, 10 inches in the mountains and foothills surrounding the Los Angeles Basin, and five inches in the coastal valleys.

Up to two feet of snow was predicted at mountain resorts above 6,000 feet.

The National Weather Service said the powerful winds would churn up heavy seas that could cause flooding in low-lying coastal areas.

The most serious threats of flooding and mudslides lay below canyons and mountain slopes stripped bare by wildfires last summer and during the summer and fall of 2003, officials said.

Officials ordered the evacuation of about 40 homes in a flood-prone canyon near Devore, in southwestern San Bernardino County, and said they would warn other residents by telephone if flooding appeared imminent.

The Pasadena Fire Department said it was making sandbags available at Fire Station 37 at 3430 Foothill Blvd. and Fire Station 38 at 1150 Linda Vista Ave.

The storm could ease up by this evening, but more heavy rain is expected later tonight and on Wednesday, said weather service meteorologist Mike Wofford. Another, less powerful, storm should bring lighter rain Thursday and Friday mornings, he said.

With a little luck, though, the sun could shine on Saturday’s Rose Parade and Rose Bowl game.

“At this point, it looks as though Saturday -- New Year’s Day -- should be dry,” Wofford said. “But that’s five days away, and we’re in a wet period, so all that could change.”

Persistent high pressure that had blocked the southward flow of storm systems along the Pacific Coast for several weeks has dissipated and offshore storms are now being funneled down the coast and into Southern California, Wofford said. More rain is expected Sunday and into next week, and long-term forecasts call for wetter than normal weather in January, February and March.

Wofford said today’s storm moved slowly down the coast before stalling off Point Conception, west of Santa Barbara, Monday afternoon. He said winds circulating counterclockwise around the storm are picking up additional moisture from the ocean, increasing the force of an already powerful weather system. When the saturated clouds push up against the coastal mountains of Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, the moisture condenses and falls as heavy rain and snow.

“This storm could produce very heavy rainfall rates, strong gusty winds, small hail, waterspouts, and we cannot even rule out the possibility of small tornadoes,” the weather service said in a forecast advisory issued Monday afternoon. “The strongest winds of this event are expected to occur in the mountains, where damaging gusts of over 70 mph will be likely.” Hurricane-force winds are 73 mph and higher.

The storm is relatively warm, and temperatures will be close to normal in the valleys, with highs in the upper 50s and low 60s and lows in the upper 40s and low 50s.

Forecasters said the snow level in the mountains will start about 7,000 feet, dropping to 6,000 feet as the storm progresses.

Heavy rain and high winds could pose problems for motorists on major mountain routes, such as Interstate 5 in the Tejon Pass and Interstate 15 in the Cajon Pass. Both passes top out below 5,000 feet, and snow should not be a problem, forecasters said.

Times staff writer Hugo Martin in San Bernardino contributed to this report.