Atmospheric river hits Southern California with risks of flash floods and deaths on stormy seas

LOS ANGELES (AP) — An unusually strong storm system called an atmospheric river doused Southern California on Saturday, prompting flood warnings in areas of coastal Los Angeles County that recently were ravaged by wildfire.

The National Weather Service in Los Angeles and Oxnard reported heavy rainfall at rates as heavy as an inch (2.5 centimeters) per hour in coastal areas that are prone to flash flooding.

The previous day more than 4 inches (10 centimeters) of rain fell over coastal Santa Barbara County as the storm approached Los Angeles. The National Weather Service urged people to stay indoors amid heavy winds.

The long plume of tropical moisture that formed over the Pacific Ocean began drenching the San Francisco Bay Area on Wednesday and unleashed widespread rain over Southern California on Friday and Saturday. More than a foot of snow was predicted for parts of the Sierra Nevada.

The California Highway Patrol said a 71-year-old man died Friday after his vehicle was swept off a flooded bridge in Northern California, and a 5-year-old was swept into the ocean by 15-foot (4.6-meter) waves at a state park on the Central Coast, triggering a search.

Off the Southern California coast, a wooden boat believed to have been ferrying migrants toward the U.S. from Mexico capsized in stormy seas, leaving at least four people dead and four hospitalized, the Coast Guard said Saturday.

Flood advisories extended from the Ventura County coast through Malibu and into Los Angeles.

“Due to the potential for debris flows, an Evacuation Warning remains in effect within and around all recent burn scar areas, and select vulnerable properties remain under Evacuation Orders,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in the morning via the social platform X.

Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for high-risk properties in the Palisades and Eaton fire burn areas through Sunday morning. Law enforcement personnel were going to certain properties in those areas to urge people to leave, Bass said.

James Jones carries sandbags while trying to prevent water from running off a property scorched in the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Calif., as the region remains under flash flood warnings on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

A woman walks past a mural in Altadena, Calif., as the region remains under flash flood warnings Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Ronald Jones surveys a property scorched in the Eaton Fire while placing sandbags to prevent mud and water runoff Altadena, Calif., as the region remains under flash flood warnings on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

James Jones places a sandbag to prevent water from running off a property scorched in the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Calif., as the region remains under flash flood warnings on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

A pedestrian with an umbrella walks on a bridge over the rain-soaked 110 Freeway in Los Angeles Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Atlanta Hawks coach Quinn Snyder believes fifth-year forward Jalen Johnson is still a work in progress. If he’s right, it’s a terrifying prospect for opponents.

Johnson continued his emergence with his second triple-double in two nights Saturday, finishing with 30 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists in a 131-116 win over the Washington Wizards.

It was his fourth of a season in which every one of those performances has been needed as the Hawks manage without four-time All-Star Trae Young, who has been out since late October with a sprained right MCL.

Johnson is averaging 23.8 points, 10.5 rebounds and 7.8 assists, all significant improvements from a 2024-25 campaign that was easily his best.

“It’s reflective of a guy that’s done a lot of work that we need to make a lot of plays for us,” Snyder said of Johnson. “The triple-doubles, like the statistics, are great. But he wants to win and there’s more there. He can continue to become more efficient, because we need him to be that.”

Both Friday and Saturday’s performances were historic.

In Friday’s 134-133 home loss to Denver, he recorded the second-fastest triple-double in NBA history, reaching the threshold in only 16:44. (Denver’s Nikola Jokic holds the record of 14 minutes, 33 seconds.)

Saturday, he became only the second Hawks player ever with triple-doubles on both ends of a back-to-back, after Bob Sura did it on April 9 and 10, 2004.

“Yesterday was cool, but tonight was more important because we got the win,” Johnson said. “So I think that’s what makes it better. But it was just a great group effort and like I said before, it’s just a product of my teammates hitting shots and everybody making the game much easier for me.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) dribbles the ball against Washington Wizards forward Justin Champagnie, left, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) shoots against Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (7) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) goes to the basket against Washington Wizards forwards Justin Champagnie (9) and Tristan Vukcevic (00) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Wizards forward Justin Champagnie (9) fouls Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)