Officials in Los Angeles and surrounding counties warned that the giant holiday storm could trigger "widespread flash flooding."

Torrential rains drenched Southern California on Wednesday, unleashing widespread flash flooding as authorities urged motorists to stay off roads and residents living downslope of wildfire-scarred foothills and canyons to evacuate.

At 8:53 a.m. on Thursday, the NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA issued a flash flood warning in effect until 10:15 a.m. for Los Angeles.

Officials in Los Angeles are warning people about the imminent potential for life-threatening flooding Wednesday, asking people to stay aware as they celebrate Christmas Eve. The National Weather Service has issued the highest flash flood risk for parts of Los Angeles,

Coastal communities in Southern California braced for more rain and flash floods even as a powerful Christmas storm began to ease on Thursday evening, with a state of emergency still in place for Los Angeles and neighboring counties.

Los Angeles County is included in a flood watch released by the National Weather Service on Tuesday at 12:22 p.m. The watch is valid from 4 p.m. until Thursday Dec. 25, at 10 p.m.

Heavy downpours from an atmospheric river brought flash flooding to Los Angeles on Wednesday, December 24, forcing the partial closure of Interstate 5 for several hours.Video filmed by X user @lakergirl6 shows multiple lanes of the freeway submerged in water near Penrose Street.

Residents of Los Angeles spent the day before Christmas under rain showers and winds of around 40 mph, while the New England area braces for heavy snow later in the week.

Los Angeles County is included in a flash flood warning issued by the National Weather Service on Thursday at 8:53 a.m. The warning is in effect until 10:15 a.m.

More rounds of rain are continuing the flood threat across Southern California through Friday of this week following record-breaking rainfall on Christmas Eve.The risk of excessive rain and flash flooding is lower for Christmas Day,