The Rains Came Down and the Floods Came Up

What a night!  The heavy rain began about 10:30 last night and is still falling at 6:30 this morning.  I'm seeing colors on the radar we don't normally see in Southern California - stuff you'd normally see in a Midwestern supercell thunderstorm.  If we haven't gotten 3" of rain overnight I'll be surprised, with more to come during the day.

Here's what's going on in Southern Orange County according to the OC Register:

An early morning storm wreaked havoc across South Orange County causing flooding, landslides and early morning rescues, police said. Downtown Laguna Beach is closed because of flooding.

At 2 a.m. at least six people were rescued from their cars in Laguna Woods after they drove around barricades set up because of flooding, sheriff's Lt. Lloyd Downing said. In one case a woman was rescued by a sheriff's deputy as her car began to submerge near El Toro Road and Moulton Parkway, Downing said.

In Lake Forest, El Toro Drive, Lake Forest Drive and Muirlands Boulevard are flooded, Downing said.

Cook's Corner in Trabuco Corner is flooded and is making roads impassable. Black Star Canyon and Silverado Canyon are flooded and people are being evacuated, Downing said. A county alert sent to canyon residents reported Santiago Canyon Road was closed from Cook's Corner to the 241/261 interchange.

Sheriff's Deputy Richard Nelson reported that a mudslide from a hillside on the northbound 241 Toll Road south of the Santiago Canyon Road exit has coverd the road. Orange County Fire Authority officials are responding.

In San Clemente there are reports of mudslides in the hills on the city's eastern side, Downing said. Residents are also reporting power outages.

Laguna Beach is flooded throughout the downtown, Lt. Jason Kravetz said.

Laguna Canyon Road is closed from Main Beach to the 73 Toll Road. Coast Highway is closed from Aster Street to the north and from Legion Street to the south, Kravetz said. All streets in the downtown including Beach Street, Forest Avenue and Ocean Avenue are closed, Kravetz said.

In Lake Forest at about 2 a.m., a 100-foot eucalyptus tree fell on a house in the 24800 block of Knollwood, said sherrif's Sgt. Roger Dawes. The homeowner said this is the second time an eucalyptus tree has fallen onto his house.

I'm listening to the OC Fire dispatch and there's trouble everywhere. Big mudslides in Laguna Beach, Dove Canyon, Bell Canyon, Silverado Canyon. Churches are being opened to house displaced homeowners...at least the ones who can get out. Some folks are having to shelter in place because the conditions are too dangerous to try and evacuate. I also heard one report of water flow in the street that was pushing 100 pound boulders down the road.

It's going to be a long day for our emergency services.

UPDATE: People are being walked out of Bell Canyon due to rising water. I'm hearing that cars are floating down the street. Laguna Beach is basically cut off except from the north, though you can't get through downtown due the Broadway river, which used to be Broadway St. Mud and debris are flowing through the downtown area and out through the park that's right on the beach.

UPDATE 2: I'm hearing there are homes in Bell Canyon with six feet of water in them and the residents are stuck on the 2nd floor. Fire department is trying to figure out how to get them out. Evacuees are being taken to Dove Canyon golf course via golf cart and will be housed in the clubhouse.

UPDATE 3:  Report of elderly woman in house on Trabuco Oaks Road surrounded by 40 mph water that's undermining the house.  Very serious situation.

List of road closures here.