Rain drenches Orange County, prompts evacuations near recent burn scars

Showers that began overnight across Orange County were expected to grow in intensity Wednesday afternoon, prompting the evacuation of residents living near areas scorched by wildfires in recent years.

The storm passing over Southern California had dumped between .5 to 1.5 inches of rain on portions of coastal Orange County by 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to data from automated rain gauges shared by the National Weather Service. It was expected to persist through the night, before eventually tapering off on Thursday.

“The final heavy band should be pushing through around rush hour,” National Weather Service Meteorologist James Brotherton said Tuesday.

The downpour raised the risk of mudslides in mountain regions, especially near the burn scars left by the Bond fire in 2020. Nearby residents in Silverado Canyon were issued a mandatory evacuation order effective 9 a.m.

A reception center for displaced residents was set up at the Norman P. Murray Community & Senior Center, 24932 Veterans Way in Mission Viejo. Those with small pets were welcome to leave them in the care of OC Animal Care at their shelter in Tustin, at 1630 Victory Road. Owners of larger animals were invited to drop them off at the OC Fair and Events Center at 88 Fair Drive in Costa Mesa.

Orange County Public Works crews were seen stacking sandbags on rain and mud-covered streets in Silverado Canyon Tuesday, the last day to cast ballots in the 2022 midterm election. A voting center in that area as well as all parks and trails across Orange County were closed due to wet, muddy conditions. The possibility of hazardous debris flows led to road closures at the canyon entrances of Silverado, Williams and Modjeska Canyons, Orange County Sheriff’s officials said.

After the storm passes on Thursday, Orange County residents can expect dry weather through the rest of the week, Brotherton said. By Friday, meteorologists expect highs of 66 degrees near John Wayne Airport, 68 degrees in Fountain Valley, 65 degrees in Huntington Beach, and 64 degrees in Laguna Beach and Newport Beach.

The storm this week came early in Southern California’s rainy season and brought much-needed water to a region struggling through chronically dry conditions, Brotherton said.

“But it will take more than one storm to wipe out a drought,” he said.

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