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California rain may ease but more mudslides, flooding possible, forecasters say

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California rain may ease but more mudslides, flooding possible, forecasters say


A strong storm system that brought relentless winds, rain and snowfall to California this week was expected to ease Friday, but there was still a risk of high surf along the coast, flash flooding near Los Angeles and avalanches in the Sierra Nevada.

Waves near the San Francisco Bay Area could reach up to 25 feet Friday, parts of Southern California were at risk of flooding, and avalanches could hit the Lake Tahoe area, officials warned. Residents were told to be ready to evacuate the mountain town of Wrightwood about 80 miles northeast of Los Angeles because of mudslides.

Atmospheric rivers carried massive plumes of moisture from the tropics during one of the busiest travel weeks of the year. The storms were blamed for at least two deaths earlier in the week. Some 70,000 homes and businesses had no power overnight, according to Find Energy.

The system brought the wettest Christmas season to downtown Los Angeles in 54 years, the National Weather Service said.

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CBS Los Angeles points out that the National Weather Service said, “The flooding threat will be exacerbated … due to the super saturation of all of the area. “Any rainfall that occurs will immediately turn to runoff.”  

Roads in the 5,000-resident town of Wrightwood were covered in rocks, debris and thick mud on Thursday. With power out, a gas station and coffee shop running on generators were serving as hubs for residents and visitors.

Davey Schneider walks on the roof of his storm-damaged home on Dec. 25, 2025, in Wrightwood, Calif.

William Liang / AP

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With more rain on the way, more than 150 firefighters were stationed in the area, said San Bernardino County Fire spokesman Shawn Millerick.

“We’re ready,” he said. “It’s all hands on deck at this point.”

wrightwod-calilf-car-mud-122525.jpg

A car is buried in mud in Wrightwood, Calif. on Dec. 25, 2025 after a series of storms.

William Liang / AP


A falling tree killed a San Diego man Wednesday, fire officials confirmed to the CBS affiliate there, KFMB-TV. Farther north, a Sacramento sheriff’s deputy died in what appeared to be a weather-related crash.

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Areas along the coast, including Malibu, were under a flood watch until Friday afternoon, and wind and flood advisories were issued for much of the Sacramento Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Southern California typically gets half an inch to 1 inch of rain this time of year, but this week many areas could see between 4 and 8 inches, with even more in the mountains, National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Wofford said.

More wind and heavy snow were expected in the Sierra Nevada, where gusts created “near white-out conditions” and made mountain pass travel treacherous.

Gov. Gavin Newsom declared emergencies in six counties to allow state assistance.

The state deployed resources and first responders to several coastal and Southern California counties, and the California National Guard was on standby.

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Disneyland, California Adventure has new treats, drinks to try in 2026

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Disneyland, California Adventure has new treats, drinks to try in 2026


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A boozy matcha beverage and pork belly bao buns are among the many new treats coming to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, adding to the dizzying number of things you’ll want to try amid events like the return of Sweetheart’s Nite to the debut of “Bluey.”

Disney Parks Blog unveiled the lineup of dishes, desserts and drinks coming to both barks in Anaheim beginning on different dates throughout January. Among the major news is a menu change at Flo’s V8 Cafe at Cars Land at California Adventure; that includes a cheeseburger topped with caramelized onions and a pepperoncini cheese sauce and chicken and waffles.

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The new items across both parks take inspiration from cuisines across the globe. Here’s a look at just some of the new options coming to both parks and where you’ll be able to find them, plus a look at the calendar of events for both parks in 2026.

Disneyland food coming in 2026: 8 options to know

  • Lemon chiffon tea: A sweet tea topped with lemon chiffon foam at the Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe at Main Street, U.S.A.
  • Yuzu lemonade: Lemonade with a “touch” of floral yuzu juice and a rainbow jelly topping at the Harbour Galley in New Orleans Square.
  • Sweet heat beignet chicken sandwich: A fried chicken sandwich with buffalo sauce and slaw on beignets served with collard greens and house-made pickles at Tiana’s Palace in New Orleans Square.
  • Andouille sausage po’boy: Roasted andouille sausage, lettuce, tomatoes, mayonnaise and a rémoulade sauce served with collard greens and house-made pickles at Tiana’s Palace in New Orleans Square.
  • Duo tacos with carne asada or chicken: Corn tortillas with tomatillo sauce and pickled onion habanero served with tortilla chips and salsa fresca at the Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante in Frontierland.
  • Gaston burger: A beef patty with pastrami, cheese, pickles, sauteed onions and bell peppers with pepperoncini at the Red Rose Taverne in Fantasyland.
  • Tropical slushy: A passion fruit, orange, guava and lychee syrup with a chile-lime rim beverage at Bengal Barbecue in Adventureland.
  • Peanut butter brownie slice: A brownie slice topped with peanut butter mousse, melted peanut butter and chocolate at the Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe at Main Street, U.S.A.

California Adventure food coming in 2026: 7 options to know

  • Strawberry, hazelnut, chocolate & pistachio Mickey Shake: A strawberry shake with pistachio whipped topping, fried kataifi and chocolate sauce at Schmoozies! in Hollywood Land.
  • Soju-matcha cocktail: Topped with honey cold foam and honey cereal at Schmoozies! in Hollywood Land.
  • Mickey-shaped cinnamon roll macaron: A cinnamon roll macaron shell filled with cream cheese buttercream and cinnamon caramel at the Cappuccino Cart at San Fransokyo Square.
  • Infinity cream puffs: Six mini cream puffs in different flavors, from raspberry, cotton candy and key lime, at Terran Treats in the Avengers Campus.
  • Pork belly bao bun: A bao bun with pickled onions, crispy chicharron and calamansi citrus aioli at the Lamplight Lounge at Pixar Pier.
  • Frozen banana mudslide cocktail: A cocktail of vanilla vodka, Kahlua, Baileys Irish Cream, banana liqueur and half and half at Wine Country Trattoria in the Performance Corridor.
  • Chocolate Japanese-style fluffy cheesecake: Topped with cherry sauce and available at Aunt Cass Café at the San Fransokyo Square.

Lunar New Year, Sweetheart’s Nite and ‘Bluey.’ Disneyland, California Adventure 2026 events

The Disneyland Resort is continuing its 70th anniversary celebration through Aug. 9. Here’s a look at just some of the new and returning events coming throughout the year:

  • Sweetheart’s Nite at Disneyland: The Valentine-themed event that brings out specialty treats and drinks and late-night festivities returns on Jan. 22, 25, 27 and Feb. 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 17. This is a separately ticketed event.
  • Lunar New Year at California Adventure: Ring in the Lunar New Year Jan. 23-Feb. 22.
  • Anaheim Ducks Day at California Adventure: Hockey fans can celebrate the Anaheim Ducks at this themed day, complete with appearances by players from the NHL team on Feb. 22.
  • 70 Years of Favorites at Disneyland: Experience “nostalgic entertainment” and “iconic Disney characters” on March 3 and 5. This is a separately ticketed event.
  • California Adventure Food & Wine Festival: Enjoy limited-time food offerings, culinary demos and other foodie-themed experiences from March 6-April 27.
  • “Bluey” at Disneyland: “Bluey’s Best Day Ever!” debuts March 22 at the Fantasyland Theatre, where the popular children’s show “Bluey” is brought to life in an interactive show.
  • Disney Channel Nite at Disneyland: “Pay tribute to iconic childhood shows and characters” on April 12, 14 and 16. This is a separately ticketed event.
  • “Star Wars” Nite at Disneyland: Celebrate “Star Wars” with this after-hours event on April 28 and 30 and May 4 and 6. This is a separately ticketed event.
  • Pride Nite at Disneyland: Celebrate Pride Month at Disneyland on June 16 and 18. This is a separately ticketed event.
  • D23 Day at Disneyland Resort: D:23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event kicks off with D23 Day at the Disneyland Resort on Aug. 13.
  • Oogie Boogie Bash at California Adventure: Show up in costume for a Halloween party on select nights throughout August, September and October. This is a separately ticketed event.
  • Halloween Time at Disneyland: Festive decor and seasonal attractions ahead of Halloween returns Aug. 21-Oct. 31.
  • Plaza de la Familia at California Adventure: The annual celebration of Día De Los Muertos returns Aug. 21-Nov. 2.
  • Holidays at the Disneyland Resort: Festive, seasonal decor and foods return Nov. 18.

Paris Barraza is a reporter covering Los Angeles and Southern California for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at pbarraza@usatodayco.com.



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Rain continues in parts of California reeling from flooding and high tides – WTOP News

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Rain continues in parts of California reeling from flooding and high tides – WTOP News


CORTE MADERA, Calif. (AP) — Crews cleared mud from key California highways as forecasters warned Sunday that more thunderstorms were…

CORTE MADERA, Calif. (AP) — Crews cleared mud from key California highways as forecasters warned Sunday that more thunderstorms were on the way after downpours and high tides caused flooding, road closures and rescues of people trapped in cars.

Five northern counties remained under a flood watch, with up to three inches (7.6 cm) of rain possible through Monday night in areas that have been drenched off and on since around Christmas, said the National Weather Service office in Eureka. At least a foot (.3 meters) of snow was likely in the mountains.

To the south near the San Francisco Bay Area, waters were slowly receding after roadways from Sausalito to San Rafael were flooded during heavy rain that coincided with record-breaking “ King Tides.” Such tides occur when the moon is in its closest position to the Earth, creating a stronger gravitational pull.

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Some people kayaked along swamped streets, while others waded through water above their knees. Authorities were called to assist when cars got stuck in water as high as 3 and 4 feet (1.1 and 1.2 meters), Marin County Sheriff’s Sgt. Michael Dobbins said Saturday.

“I’ve been around here for the King Tides and I’ve never seen it this high. Never,” Jeremy Hager of San Rafael told KTVU-TV.

Flooding was reported across Marin, Sonoma, Alameda, San Mateo and San Francisco counties.

While the tides were waning, lingering thunderstorms on Sunday could cause additional problems throughout low-lying areas, forecasters said. “For anyone driving, slow down and allow extra time to reach your destination,” the Bay Area office of the weather service warned on social media.

Farther south in Santa Barbara County, a key highway was reopened Sunday after it was blocked for most of the weekend near Goleta due to a series of mudslides. A man died after he was swept into a creek during the storm, the sheriff’s office said Saturday.

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Parts of Santa Barbara County received more than four inches (10 cm) of rain over two days, the weather service said Sunday.

After a mostly dry autumn, California has been hit by a series of powerful winter storms that brought the wettest holiday season to the state in years.

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© 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.



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California’s gubernatorial race heats up as Newsom’s term nears end, with many contenders

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California’s gubernatorial race heats up as Newsom’s term nears end, with many contenders


In just over a year, Gavin Newsom’s term as California’s governor will come to an end, capping off nearly eight years in office.

Now the question is – who will take over once he steps down?

We spoke to political scientist Nathan Monroe about what could be one of Californias most unpredictable gubernatorial races yet.

With Governor Gavin Newsom’s term ending, the race to replace him begins.

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This race will determine who leads the worlds fifth largest economy at a time when California is facing issues such as housing and affordability.

Californias next gubernatorial election is shaping up to be crowded – and for the first time in years – there’s no incumbent on the ballot.

“You say, well, just which democrat is going to win, right? Like, sort of republicans don’t have a shot. But what we have to keep in mind, right, is that the rules of elections matter. And in California, we have the top two primary system,” said Nathan Monroe, a Political Science Professor at UC Merced.

More than a dozen candidates are vying for the spot.

On the democratic side, contenders include former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier barrera, former U.S. Representative Katie Porter, Representative Eric Swalwell, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and former State Controller Betty Yee.

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Political experts say the size of the field could make turnout and name recognition decisive and could lead to unexpected results in the primary.

“But if you divide that pie up by just two, and you divide the democratic pie up, which is admittedly a larger pie, by 7 or 8, the concern you get here is that democrats are going to lose out on even running to the general election. So even though there might be more democratic votes to be found in California for governor, they might not have a shot to cast those ballots for a democrat on the general election ballot,” said Monroe.

Monroe says party leaders may need to step in soon.

“I think the concern has to be among voters and I’m sure among the party leaders, so to speak, right, the party leaders sort of amorphously, is that they’ve got to figure out a way to delicately, you know, assure some candidates out of the race and figure out which candidates those should be and figure out how to manage those personalities and try to coordinate all the things that go in and around a gubernatorial election,” said Monroe.

On the Republican side, former Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and Fox News contributor Steve Hilton.

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With just a few months from the midterm elections, Monroe says both parties need to organize.

“What’s happening behind the scenes for the parties to try to coordinate themselves to make sure that the field that they offer to voters in June is a field that gives them the best chance for their best candidate to go forward to the general election,” said Monroe.

The primary election is set for June, with the general election in December.



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