Flash Flood Warning in Effect for Agoura Hills

A flash flood warning is in effect for Agoura Hills this morning.

The National Weather forecasters said flash flooding was possible this morning as a result of rainfall in eastern Ventura County and Western Los Angeles County, even though it began tapering off around 4:30 a.m.

The areas threatened included Tujunga, Sunland, Lake View Terrace, Hollywood, Van Nuys, Malibu, Santa Monica, Santa Clarita, Woodland Hills, Glendale, Burbank, Beverly Hills, Agoura Hills and, in Ventura County, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley and Fillmore

Trace amounts of rain were recorded around midnight, but by 5 a.m. heavy rain was reported over a wide are of Los Angeles County.

The NWS expects 1-2 inches of rain in coastal and valley areas today and 2-4 inches of rain in the mountains and foothills through early Saturday morning, weather specialist Stuart Seto told City News Service.

The wind was expected to die down this morning. But the NWS reported that powerful gusts were recorded in much of Los Angeles County during the night, including 73 mph at Camp Nine in the San Gabriel Mountains, 61 mph in Malibu Canyon, 57 mph at Poppy Park in the Antelope Valley, 54 mph at Topanga Hills, 38 mph at Avalon Airport and 50 mph in Saugus.

The heaviest part of the storm was predicted to start between 4-5 a.m. with the heaviest rain lasting up to four hours, Seto said.

Winds across the local mountains could gust up to about 70 miles per hour before and after the low-pressure trough sweeps across the Southland.

The city’s Emergency Operations Center was activated at midnight.

“The Fire Department has activated its swift-water rescue teams, additional flight crews and its Community Emergency Response Team members in anticipation of the storm,” Garcetti said Thursday.

“The Fire Department is also providing sandbags to residents at fire stations citywide.”

In Glendale, a homeless shelter which had been slated to open next week opened instead on Thursday. The Hope Of The Valley Hospice at 5101 N. San Fernando Road was made available for Glendale residents.

A flash flood watch is in effect for recent burn areas in Los Angeles County. A wind advisory will be in effect until 8 a.m. from the coast to downtown Los Angeles, and San Fernando, San Gabriel, Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys.

• City News Service