The Pineapple Express storm bearing down on Southern California could bring heavy rain and strong winds throughout Christmas week, potentially triggering mudslides, downing trees and flooding not only freeways but also homes and businesses.

If the forecasts are right, this could be one of the stormiest Christmases in recent memory for Southern California. There’s an 80% chance downtown Los Angeles will get 2 or more inches of rain from Tuesday through Christmas Day. The last time downtown got 2 or more inches of rain over Christmas Eve and Christmas Day was in 1971.

Here’s what you need to know.

Timing

The peak of the system is expected Tuesday through Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

There’s an 80% to 100% chance of rain in Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties starting Tuesday night and lasting into Wednesday and Thursday.

In Orange County, the Inland Empire and San Diego County, light showers are possible Tuesday, but the heaviest rainfall is expected Wednesday, with officials warning of heavy rainfall, increased flooding risks and possible mudslides. Flood and mudslide risks will continue Thursday.

Expected effects of the storm for Orange County, the Inland Empire and San Diego County.

(National Weather Service)

Worst-case scenario

Forecasters are warning that there’s a 40% chance of “very high” amounts of rain for Los Angeles, Ventura and southern Santa Barbara counties, and a 30% chance of the same for northern Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County.

That scenario would see 4 or more inches of rain fall on the coast and in the valleys, with 8 or more inches in the mountains and foothills, Tuesday through Thursday. Peak rainfall rates would be half an inch to 1 inch per hour.

According to the National Weather Service, that could cause:

• Significant mudslides
• Flooded freeways
• Streams and rivers flooding over their banks
• Localized flooding that could rise above curbs and into homes and businesses
• Moderate coastal flooding in south-facing areas
• Downed trees and power lines
• Dangerous sea conditions
• Swiftwater rescues

Rainfall probabilities for Los Angeles, Ventura and southern Santa Barbara counties.

(National Weather Service)

Between Tuesday and Thursday, numerous areas have a high chance of seeing 3 or more inches of rain. There’s a 77% chance of that occurring in Anaheim and Yorba Linda, a 74% chance in Santa Ana, a 73% chance in Ontario, a 71% chance in Mission Viejo, a 69% chance in Irvine, a 68% chance in Chino, a 65% chance in Laguna Niguel and a 60% chance in San Clemente.

Rainfall probabilities for northern Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County.

(National Weather Service)

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‘High amounts’ of rain scenario

There’s also a 40% chance of “high amounts” of rain in L.A., Ventura and southern Santa Barbara counties, and a 50% chance of the same in northern Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. That scenario would entail 2 to 4 inches of rain falling along the coast and in the valleys, with 4 to 8 inches in the mountains and foothills.

Rain to that extent would risk flooding freeway lanes; causing minor coastal flooding, mudslides and debris flows; and potentially force swiftwater rescues in fast-moving rivers and streams.

Wind

There’s a potential for gusty winds from the south, said Robbie Munroe, meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Oxnard office, which issues forecasts for L.A., Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.

That risks toppling trees and power lines. On Tuesday night, Los Angeles could see peak gusts of 31 mph; Woodland Hills, 38 mph; Paso Robles, 52 mph; and San Luis Obispo, 53 mph.

“Avoid parking under trees,” the weather service said. “Secure loose outdoor objects.”

There’s a 65% chance of gusts exceeding 35 mph in Huntington Beach, a 60% chance in San Diego, a 45% chance in Big Bear Lake and Ramona, a 40% chance in Escondido and a 35% chance in Riverside, according to the weather service office in San Diego.

BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. — Colorado’s foothills were hit by hurricane-force winds Friday morning, with gusts reaching 112 mph in Boulder County. The storm caused damage, outages, fires, and travel disruptions, but no injuries were reported.

Earlier in the week, on Wednesday afternoon and evening, a previous windstorm brought gusts up to 109 mph, knocking down trees and power lines and sparking fires near Yuma.

No serious injuries were reported from the fires near Yuma. Authorities believe no homes were lost. All fires were contained by Thursday night after burning just over 14,000 acres.

Power outages

Xcel Energy carried out another public safety power shutoff (PSPS) on Friday in response to hurricane-strength winds in the Front Range foothills, as crews worked around the clock to restore power to thousands of customers after initiating a Wednesday PSPS.

Xcel said PSPS conditions subsided as of 5 a.m. Saturday. However, about 57,207 Xcel customers were still without power.

The utility company said it’s aiming to restore power to customers by 10 p.m. Saturday, but warned that the outage could extend into Sunday for some customers.

“The safety of crew members is paramount as they work to restore power. Xcel Energy asks customers to help keep crew members safe as they work diligently to restore power as quickly as possible,” wrote Xcel Energy in a release.

Xcel said it has identified 396 customers who have been without power since the initial outage on Wednesday. The company said these customers are being prioritized as restoration efforts continue followed by other high-needs areas.

David Zalubowski/AP

Xcel set up resource centers and charging stations in Evergreen, Gilpin County, Lakewood, and Idaho Springs.

On Saturday, Gov. Jared Polis urged residents to avoid directing their frustration at Xcel’s frontline crews over ongoing outages, saying workers are working long hours to restore service.

“As many Coloradans await the return of power to their homes and communities, I want to urge everyone not to take their frustrations with power being out on the hardworking men and women who make up the Xcel crews. The company and its crews are working around the clock to ensure our safety and to restore power. While I have expressed great frustration with Xcel and there’s much room for improvement in communications about what’s going on and timelines, I am grateful for Xcel’s frontline workers and all those people working to restore people’s power. Please thank them if you see them,” Polis said in a statement.

CORE Electric Cooperative, which provides power to parts of Clear Creek, Jefferson, and Park counties, said that 9,281 customers lost power during Friday’s storm.

CORE said the return of service for most members will likely not occur until later in the day on Saturday, as more favorable weather will help with restoration efforts. However, strong winds are still expected, and many trees have been weakened during the storm.

Damage and closures

Reports of downed trees, power lines, and street poles in and around Boulder and across the foothills during Friday’s wind event flooded emergency dispatch.

In Longmont, Friday’s windstorm severely damaged the roof of Longmont Climbing Collective, 155 Pinnacle Street, prompting the closure of the business as crews work to replace the roof.

Denver7

Longmont Climbing Collective said in a Facebook post that it hopes to reopen Sunday or Monday, but it may take longer. No injuries were reported.

Downed trees and street poles blocked roads and trails across Boulder County, causing major closures, including portions of CO 72, CO 93, US 36, and CO 128. But some reopened by nightfall.

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In the Allenspark area of Boulder County, a propane tanker on CO 7 rolled over after hitting black ice on Friday, trapping the occupants and prompting an evacuation and the closure of the highway.

According to the Allenspark Fire Protection District, high winds and leaking diesel fuel at the crash scene made the situation particularly sensitive and extended the time needed to resolve it.

Allenspark Fire Protection District

Due to concerns about possible propane leakage, residents and businesses were evacuated. However, no propane leakage was ultimately found.

No major injuries were reported.

Friday’s storm also closed schools across Boulder and Jefferson counties, as well as Evergreen.

Here are the top 10 wind speeds recorded on Friday from the National Weather Service:

• 112 MPH — 3 NW Marshall, Boulder, CO
• 110 MPH — Sunshine, Boulder, CO
• 102 MPH — 2 WNW Niwot, Boulder, CO
• 99 MPH — 1 NE Crisman, Boulder, CO
• 97 MPH — 1 S Wallstreet, Boulder, CO
• 96 MPH — 2 SW Hygiene, Boulder, CO
• 95 MPH — 1 NE Crisman, Boulder, CO
• 95 MPH — 3 S Carter Lake, Larimer, CO
• 94 MPH — 3 N Berthoud Pass, Grand, CO
• 92 MPH — 5 N Boulder, Boulder, CO

DIA impacts

Friday’s strong winds created a rough start to the December holiday travel season at Denver International Airport.

FlightAware reported more than 1,200 delays at DIA on Friday—the most nationwide—along with more than 80 cancellations.

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On Saturday, the numbers dropped considerably, resulting in only 88 reported delays.

Several pilots reported moderate-to-severe or even severe turbulence on Friday.

The Federal Aviation Administration defines turbulence as “severe” when it “causes large, abrupt changes in altitude and/or attitude. It usually causes large variations in indicated airspeed. Aircraft may be momentarily out of control.”

Back‑to‑back windstorms batter Colorado, leave tens of thousands without power

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A group of nonprofits are asking the public to help support efforts to return Maunawili Valley to community care.

Dean Wilhelm, co-executive director of Ho’okuaaina, Reyna Ramolete Hayashi, aloha aina project manager at Trust for Public Land, and Kaleo Wong, executive director of Kauluakalana, joined HNN’s Sunrise to talk about more than a decade of work by Hui Maunawili–Kawainui, a coalition of nonprofits and generational ohana to purchase and protect more than 1,000 acres on windward Oahu to benefit the community.

“Our Hoihoi Maunawili fundraising campaign is four nonprofits working together to raise $500,000 for the future stewardship of the land. The nonprofit partners are Kauluakalana, Ho’okua’aina, Hawaii Land Trust, and Trust for Public Land,” Hayashi said.

Nonprofit leaders say Hoihoi Maunawili is working with the current landowner, the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, to transfer stewardship of the land.

“These lands include the most fertile growing soil in all Hawaii, important cultural sites, and freshwater streams and springs that will be forever protected. Capital funds have been secured to purchase the land,” Hayashi said.

“This land has sustained generations. By returning it to the community and restoring it for shared use and cultural renewal, we will safeguard resources for future generations and increase our community’s resilience,” Wilhelm said.

“Until the 1960s, this land was very productive. It was the ‘Breadbasket of Oahu.’ Alii specifically would ask for kalo grown on these lands. This effort seeks to return it to its former abundance, ultimately improving local food security and water security through community-led agriculture that strengthens Hawaii food systems and creates green jobs for a sustainable local economy.”

“Buying and protecting the land is only the beginning,” Wong said. “In this season of giving, we are asking the community to join us in this movement to restore water, food, culture and community in Maunawili.”

To donate and learn more, visit hoihoimaunawili.org. The public can also support by volunteering or joining a talk story.

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