In photos: Atmospheric river unleashes record rainfall and hundreds of mudslides in California (2024)

Extreme Weather

By Washington Post staff and Kasha Patel | Feb 7, 2024

Feb. 6 | Los Angeles

A mudslide leads to a home where it smashed through its garage as a historic atmospheric river storm inundates the Studio City section of Los Angeles.

David Mcnew/AFP/Getty Images

Feb. 6 | Santa Barbara

Parts of a cliff erodes.

REUTERS

Feb. 6 | Los Angeles

A geologist surveys a mudslide in the Beverly Crest area.

Ethan Swope/AP

Feb. 6 | Los Angeles

The ruins of a house that was abruptly destroyed by a landslide.

David Mcnew/AFP/Getty Images

Feb. 6 | Los Angeles

People stand downtown in the rain as a powerful long-duration atmospheric river storm, the second in less than a week, continues to impact Southern California.

Mario Tama/Getty Images

Feb. 5 | Los Angeles

A fallen tree lies atop a car.

David Swanson/Reuters

Feb. 5 | Los Angeles

First respondents inspect a mudslide.

Aude Guerrucci/Reuters

Feb. 5 | Los Angeles

An aerial view of the Los Angeles River swollen by storm runoff.

Mario Tama/Getty Images

Feb. 5 | Los Angeles

Partially submerged trees in the flooded Los Angeles River during the storm.

Kyle Grillot/For The Washington Post

Feb. 5 | Studio City, Calif.

Cars drive on flooded streets during the ongoing storm.

Aude Guerrucci/Reuters

Feb. 5 | Sausalito, Calif.

People walk in the rain in the shadow of the San Francisco skyline.

Eric Risberg/AP

Feb. 5 | Malibu, Calif.

Waves from the Pacific Ocean move ashore.

Mario Tama/Getty Images

Feb. 5 | Malibu, Calif.

Workers shore up the coastline next to homes.

Mario Tama/Getty Images

Feb. 5 | Los Angeles

Workers sweep water flooding a tunnel path at Union Station.

Etienne Laurent/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Feb. 5 | Santa Monica, Calif.

People visit Santa Monica Pier as the storm sweeps through.

Etienne Laurent/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Feb. 5 | San Bernardino, Calif.

Firefighters rescue a man from a homeless encampment that became surrounded by floodwater from the Santa Ana River.

Ethan Swope/AP

Feb. 5 | Van Nuys, Calif.

Los Angeles Fire Department workers clear a scene after a water rescue call along Bull Creek.

Kyle Grillot/For The Washington Post

Feb. 5 | Los Angeles

A whirlpool forms around a city worker as he lifts a manhole cover to clear flooding from a street in the Holmby Hills neighborhood

Eugene Garcia/AP

Feb. 5 | Beverly Hills, Calif.

Members of the Los Angeles Fire Department work to clear a debris in the Beverly Crest area.

Kyle Grillot/For The Washington Post

Feb. 5 | Encino, Calif.

A house near a landslide caused by the rain.

Aude Guerrucci/Reuters

Feb. 5 | Los Angeles

A home destroyed by a mudslide.

Mario Tama/Getty Images

Feb. 5 | Beverly Hills, Calif.

A man attempts to clear debris from a mudslide.

Allison Dinner/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Feb. 5 | Los Angeles

A large tree, toppled by winds, blocks a street.

Etienne Laurent/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Feb. 5 | Studio City, Calif.

Rocks and debris litter streets and driveways along Fryman Canyon.

Michael Robinson Chávez for The Washington Post

Feb. 4 | Ventura, Calif.

Resident Matt Katz removes branches from a road in the Foster Park neighborhood. The branches came down from a massive oak tree that fell as a result of saturated soil.

Michael Robinson Chávez For The Washington Post

Feb. 4 | Goleta, Calif.

Vehicles pass downed branches during a rainstorm.

Ethan Swope/AP

Feb. 4 | Goleta, Calif.

Santa Barbara County firefighters assist city officials to clear a tree blocking Storke Road.

Reuters

Feb. 4 | Wrightwood, Calif.

Signage warns drivers as they move into the San Gabriel Mountains as an atmospheric river storm begins to hit Southern California on Sunday.

Kyle Grillot for The Washington Post

Feb. 4 | Ventura, Calif.

A road is closed due to flooding in the Foster Park neighborhood.

Michael Robinson Chávez for The Washington Post

Feb. 4 | Santa Barbara, Calif.

A person walks along a flooded street.

Mario Tama/Getty Images

Feb. 4 | Santa Barbara, Calif.

Palm trees are blown by strong wind as the second and more powerful of two atmospheric river storms arrives to Santa Barbara.

David Mcnew/AFP/Getty Images

Feb. 4 | Santa Barbara, Calif.

A man aims his umbrella into the wind near ocean surf that has turned brown by storm runoff water.

David Mcnew/AFP/Getty Images

Feb. 4 | Los Angeles

A man walks his dog on the edge of the Los Angeles River, which is carrying stormwater downstream.

Damian Dovarganes/AP

Feb. 4 | Santa Barbara, Calif.

Waves hit a pier as the second, and potentially the biggest storm of the season, arrives in Santa Barbara.

David Mcnew/AFP/Getty Images

Feb. 4 | Ventura, Calif.

Cars drive through flooded streets.

Michael Robinson Chávez for The Washington Post

Feb. 4 | Santa Barbara, Calif.

Reserved parking signs for a postponed beachside wedding lie strewn about a parking lot.

David Mcnew/AFP/Getty Images

Feb. 4 | San Francisco

Workers clear an area of a fallen tree.

Carlos Barria/Reuters

Feb. 4 | San Francisco

EMTs assist a man who was hit by a fallen palm tree.

Carlos Barria/Reuters

Feb. 4 | San Jose, Calif.

Workers clear a tree that fell onto a home during heavy wind and rain.

Noah Berger/AP

Feb. 4 | Sonoma, Calif.

A closed roadway is seen flooded.

Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images

Feb. 4 | Santa Barbara, Calif.

A pedestrian walks through floodwaters during a rainstorm.

Ethan Swope/AP

Feb. 4 | San Jose, Calif.

Search and rescue workers investigate a car surrounded by floodwater as heavy rains caused the Guadalupe River to swell.

Noah Berger/AP