Series of storms to bring strong storms, erosion and flooding
Passersby on Bruin Walk donned umbrellas and coats Tuesday during a mid-day downpour in Los Angeles. Forecasters predict rain in Los Angeles until Friday.
A series of strong storms will continue to sweep into Los Angeles over the next few days, with strong downpours today and Thursday and scattered showers on Friday.
Meteorologists expect this January to be Southern California’s wettest month since early 2005, said James Murakami, a staff meteorologist with the UCLA Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences.
A total of four to eight inches of rain are expected to fall along the southern coastal plain and in the valleys, according to the National Weather Service.
Murakami said there should be periods of heavy rain and strong winds, along with a chance of scattered thunderstorms accompanying each storm this week.
In addition, he said there was a slight chance that these thunderstorms will spawn weak waterspouts or tornadoes.
As a result, these forceful winds can cause erosion and flooding in places where there is a lot of loose dirt, especially in the construction areas around Sproul Hall, said UCLA Facilities Manager Robert Parker.
He said Facilities Management has enacted measures to prevent flooding and dangerous situations that could result from the unusually large amount of rain.
Facilities Management has also been proactive in ensuring that everything is up to standard in preparation for heavy rain and possible flooding.
Crews have placed sandbags in areas where flooding is a high possibility to redirect the flow of water through channels into several drains, Parker said.
He added that Facilities Management has also unclogged drains around campus of leaves and stray branches so water may flow easily out of paths.
“(Facilities Management) is being productive instead of reactive this time around,” Parker said.
Parker recommends that students do not walk through puddles, as there may be hazardous waste and runoff floating in the water.
Most likely, no evacuations will be necessary due to flooding, Parker said. However, in the case of an evacuation, he advises turning off all appliances and covering computers with trash bags.
The areas around Southern California that are likely to be hit the hardest are locations below burn areas, mountainous regions and parts of the coast, Murakami said.
He said unlike the first half of the month, daytime temperatures will probably be lower than normal January temperatures, with highs in the mid-60s.
With reports from Brittany Wong, Bruin contributor.
