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Flooding engulfs Southern California as storm aims for Desert Southwest

More than half a foot of rain deluged Santa Barbara; the same system is likely to bring mountain snow to the Four Corners area

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December 22, 2023 at 12:09 p.m. EST
Southern California received heavy rain on Dec. 21, leaving residential areas in Santa Barbara under feet of water. (Video: The Washington Post)
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A strong storm is soaking the southwestern United States, bringing flooding that is inundating homes and forcing evacuations. Flood watches blanket Southern California and Arizona as the storm system shifts east, with snow likely in portions of the Four Corners area and the southern Rockies.

More than half a foot of rain fell in Santa Barbara, Calif., swamping an off-ramp from U.S. Route 101 on Thursday. North Salsipuedes Street downtown was flooded with more than six inches of water, with additional runoff gushing out of storm drains that couldn’t keep up with the heavy rain. Nearby, a stretch of U.S. 101 was closed in San Luis Obispo County. Firefighters waded through knee-deep water to reach flooded residences, with a number of cars mostly submerged.