Sandbags Available As Laguna Beach Prepares For Storm

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — The City of Laguna Beach is expected to be impacted by a storm Thursday, Jan. 1, which will bring intermittent periods of heavy rain and potential localized flooding.

The most significant part of the storm is predicted late Thursday evening. A flash flood watch is in effect from Wednesday to Thursday evening.

Downtown and Canyon residents and business owners are encouraged to put flood gates into place during the evening hours while your business is closed as a precautionary measure to protect property and inventory.

Laguna Beach residents can pick up empty sandbags at all four Laguna Beach fire stations, or 10 pre-filled sandbags at 1900 Laguna Canyon Road and 31132 S. Coast Highway.

The storm is forecasted to bring 1 to 5 inches of rain to various parts of the Los Angeles area, setting the stage for a wet Rose Parade and prompting evacuation warnings for residents near recent burn zones.

The storm system was moving into the area from the south Wednesday with periods of rain through next week, heaviest Wednesday night into New Year's Day, virtually guaranteeing a soggy Rose Parade and New Year's Day celebrations.

"The peak of the rainfall in the short term will be Wednesday night through Thursday afternoon with a lingering shower threat Thursday night and Friday," according to the National Weather Service.

"Rainfall rates are expected to be in the 0.25 to 0.50 inch per hour range. However, there will be locally higher rates of around 0.50-1.00 inch per hour Wednesday night and Thursday associated with heavier pockets of rain and potential thunderstorms."

Forecasters warned that the storm will likely bring enhanced risks of widespread flooding, in addition to mudslide and rockslide activity.

The NWS said there is "a near 100% chance" of rain falling on the Rose Parade -- and on people camping out for the parade on Wednesday night. Rain has not fallen on the Rose Parade 2006. The floral procession has traditionally managed to avoid precipitation, with rain dampening the event less than a dozen times in its previous 136 years.

City News Service contributed to this report.