Flash Flood Watch

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u n Urgent-NWS_LOX-FLOOD_WAT 02/18 391
FLOOD WATCH FOR FLASH FLOODING IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY ...

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA
615 PM PST FRI FEB 18 2005

...FLOOD WATCH FOR FLASH FLOODING IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY FOR
SOUTHERN SANTA BARBARA COUNTY...AND ALL OF VENTURA AND LOS ANGELES
COUNTIES...

A VERY MOIST FLOW OF AIR WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY AS AN UPPER
LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM REMAINS PARKED OFF THE COAST OF SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA. DURING THIS TIME...BANDS OF PRECIPITATION WILL ROTATE
AROUND THE LOW AND INTO OUR AREA. SOME OF THESE BANDS WILL INCLUDE
VERY HEAVY RAIN AND POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS AND RAINFALL RATES COULD
APPROACH ONE INCH PER HOUR AT TIMES.

ALTHOUGH IT IS DIFFICULT AT THIS TIME TO PREDICT EXACTLY WHEN AND
WHERE THE HEAVIEST RAIN WILL FALL...IT APPEARS THERE ARE TWO
DISTINCT PERIODS OF TIME BEYOND THIS EVENING WHEN THE CHANCES FOR
HEAVY RAIN ARE THE GREATEST. THE FIRST PERIOD WILL BE LATER TONIGHT
THROUGH SATURDAY AND THE SECOND PERIOD WILL BE LATE SUNDAY NIGHT
THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON. OUTSIDE OF THESE TIMES...ON AND OFF
SHOWERS WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WILL KEEP THE AREA VERY WET.

TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS THROUGH MONDAY ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM 2
TO 5 INCHES ALONG THE COAST AND IN THE VALLEYS...TO AS MUCH AND 10
TO 12 INCHES IN THE MOUNTAINS WITH LOCAL AMOUNTS AS HIGH AS 15
INCHES. THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS WILL BE ALONG THE SOUTH FACING MOUNTAIN
SLOPES.

MUDSLIDES AND DEBRIS FLOWS WILL CONTINUE TO BE A MAJOR THREAT WITH
THIS STORM AS WELL. THE MUDSLIDE POTENTIAL WILL BE HIGHEST IN AND
BELOW THE RECENTLY BURNED AREAS...BUT ALL RESIDENTS LIVING ON OR
NEAR HILLSIDES OR MOUNTAIN SLOPES SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR POSSIBLE
MUDSLIDES AND DEBRIS FLOWS. MUDSLIDES...DEBRIS FLOWS OR ROCKSLIDES
MAY OCCUR AT ANY TIME...EVEN DURING PERIODS WITH LITTLE OR NO RAIN
FALLING.

A FLOOD WATCH FOR FLASH FLOODING MEANS THAT FLASH FLOODING IS
POSSIBLE...BUT NOT IMMINENT...IN THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THE
WATCH AREA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT AND FOLLOW DIRECTIONS OF EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS OFFICIALS. EVACUATIONS SHOULD BEGIN IMMEDIATELY WITHOUT
WAITING FOR INSTRUCTIONS IF HIGH FLOWS OF WATER OR MUD ARE OBSERVED.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA SOURCE FOR
THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.

$$

FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION...CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT
HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/LOSANGELES.

MOYER/WOFFORD


EDIS-02-18-05 1813 PST