The Greater Los Angeles area is on alert for mudslides and flash flooding this weekend as heavy rain falls surrounding recent wildfire burn scars, including from the Palisades and Eaton fires in early 2025.

Winterfest O.C., concerts, Star Wars on the big screen and more of the best things to do during the first weekend of 2026.

On Thursday at 12:17 a.m. the NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA issued a flood watch in effect until 10 p.m. The watch is for Santa Clarita Valley, Santa Barbara County Southwestern Coast, Santa Barbara County Southeastern Coast,

Evacuation warnings and flash flood watches will be in effect as Southern California closes out 2025 and a wet December that has one more storm in store. The most significant rainfall from the storm that arrived on New Year’s Eve is expected overnight into Thursday as many are celebrating the start of the new year.

Vernon, an industrial town with just a little more than 200 residents, has become Southern California’s unlikely AI data center hub, with facilities consuming power equivalent to more than 26,000 homes.

A reported gas leak from a main gas line in northern Los Angeles County led authorities to shut down a major Southern California highway, snarling traffic for miles.