Christmas storms continue to batter California after recent heavy flooding prompted Governor Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency. From the early hours of the day, a line of thunderstorms moved across northern California, bringing strong gusts and flash flooding in the San Francisco metropolitan area. For the next few hours and Friday, a level‑3 rainfall risk is forecast across much of the south, including Los Angeles. With the ground still saturated, officials warn of landslides and debris, especially in fire‑scarred areas. Newsom has declared emergency status in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Shasta counties, enabling rapid state resource deployment and potential National Guard activation.
