Communities Brace For Flooding As Heavy Rain Approaches RivCo

CORONA, CA — Fears that heavy rains will trigger mud and debris flows that could clog roads and cause other damage in several Corona neighborhoods prompted public safety officials to order evacuations ahead of a National Weather Service flash flood watch that's set to take effect this morning.

"Do not delay evacuating until the rain becomes severe," Corona Fire Department spokeswoman Gina Moran-McGough said Wednesday. "Debris flows can occur without any notice and evacuation routes can quickly become impassable."

The city's mandatory evacuation order went into effect at 6 p.m. Wednesday and applied to virtually all of the same locations impacted by flooding when a major winter storm series struck in early January. The neighborhoods sit at the foot of the Cleveland National Forest, where the 2,600- acre Canyon Fire burned vegetation and denuded hillsides last September. The barren, fire-ravaged spaces now serve as water pooling zones and spillways, threatening the residential areas.

The evacuation orders went into effect around the time the flash flood watch was initially slated to go into effect, though the NWS pushed back the flash flood watch about 12 hours until 6 a.m. Thursday. It's now expected to expire at 3 a.m. Friday, instead of Thursday evening, and covers the Riverside metropolitan area and Riverside County valleys, including the cities of Riverside, Moreno Valley and Corona.

Intense storms could bring rainfall rates up to an inch per hour at different intervals, according to the weather service. Total rainfall is predicted to range between one and seven inches.

Much less intense storm conditions were expected in the Coachella Valley, where there was a slight chance of rain Thursday morning and a 70 percent chance of precipitation in the afternoon. The weather will still be warm in the Coachella Valley Thursday, with high temperatures between 76 to 81 degrees.

High temperatures in the Riverside metropolitan area will remain in the mid-60s Thursday, and around 55 to 63 in the mountains. The warmer weather means snow is unlikely to accompany the storm, with forecasters predicting the snow level will stay above 8,000 feet Thursday before dropping to about 7,500 feet overnight into Friday.

As for the evacuations in Corona, officials there said residences on the southern end of Canyon Crest Drive, along Bulrush Circle, Elderberry Circle, Goldenbush Drive, Hidden Hills Way, Oakridge Drive, San Ponte Road and Wilderness Drive are all under the evacuation decree.

Street closures include Dominguez Ranch and San Ponte roads, Oakridge and San Ramon drives, Canyon Crest Drive and Diamond View Street, and Montana Ranch Road and Hidden Hills Way, according to the Corona Fire Department. Residents will be asked to show identification to gain access to these areas, officials said.

The American Red Cross was preparing temporary shelter space, but as of Wednesday evening, residents were on their own in finding lodging, according to city officials. Pets can be temporarily housed at the Corona Animal Shelter at 1330 Magnolia Ave.

The Corona, Hemet, Riverside, Murrieta and Riverside County fire departments were offering sandbags to residents seeking to shore up their properties.

Forecasters said a low-pressure system bearing down on the region, fueled by subtropical moisture, will produce the winter-like rain event, which will make a slow exit Friday morning.

— By City News Service / Image via Shutterstock