President Donald Trump's National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, is under a flood watch from the National Weather Service (NWS) amid an ongoing atmospheric river.
Why It Matters
An atmospheric river is bringing heavy snow, heavy rain and strong winds across much of California this week. The heavy snow is mainly a threat for higher elevation areas, with low-elevation areas facing a flood risk from heavy rains.
On Wednesday, the NWS Los Angeles issued a flood watch for the entire basin, including Rancho Palos Verdes.
What To Know
Atmospheric rivers are a "long, narrow region in the atmosphere—like rivers in the sky—that transport most of the water vapor outside of the tropics," according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Trump's golf course is located at 1 Trump National Drive in Rancho Palos Verdes. It is included in the flood watch area.
NWS meteorologist Mike Wofford told Newsweek the most vulnerable areas are the parts of Los Angeles still recovering from the Palisades and Eaton wildfires in January. Burned areas are especially susceptible to flooding and debris flows during heavy rain.
Rancho Palos Verdes is not included in this region, but Wofford said meteorologists are unclear where the heaviest storm cells will set up across the basin. Rain rates are expected to be greater than half-an-inch per hour, with rain falling close to 1 inch per hour at times.
"Even areas not associated with the burn scars could certainly see flooding from those storms," Wofford said.
The flood watch will be in effect from 10 p.m. local time Wednesday night through 7 a.m. Thursday morning.
The moisture-laden storm comes as the Los Angeles region has experienced an abnormally dry winter season. Since winter began, the climate site at Los Angeles International Airport has recorded 4.25 inches of rain. The average rainfall for this time of year is more than 10 inches.
"We are less than half of our normal rainfall," Wofford said. "It's certainly been a dry season so far."
What People Are Saying
NWS office in Los Angeles in a flood watch: "Potential for heavy rain over the burn scars may trigger hazardous and damaging flooding and debris flows. Flooding may also occur in poor drainage and urban areas."
The flood watch added there's a 20 percent chance of rain rates exceeding 1 inch per hour.
NWS in a Wednesday forecast: "A Pacific storm with atmospheric river will bring heavy mountain snow and strong winds to the Sierra Nevada and heavy rainfall over parts of coastal southern California through Thursday."
What Happens Next
The storm will move out of the California region on Thursday.
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About the writer
Anna Skinner is a Newsweek senior reporter based in Indianapolis. Her focus is reporting on the climate, environment and weather ... Read more