Publication Date January 8, 2016 | Los Angeles Times

First 'textbook' El Niño rains provide clues on possible damage to come

United States
 Joseph Serna and Garrett TherolfContact Reporters The first major El Niño storm system finished its path through Southern California on Thursday, giving officials a chance to study both the behavior of the storms and how officials responded to them.  The assessments are important because forecasters are predicting a winter of heavy, potentially destructive rain because of the El Niño weather pattern.  This week's storms caused some flooding of roadways and freeways, with relatively modest mudslides in area
Joseph Serna and Garrett TherolfContact Reporters The first major El Niño storm system finished its path through Southern California on Thursday, giving officials a chance to study both the behavior of the storms and how officials responded to them. The assessments are important because forecasters are predicting a winter of heavy, potentially destructive rain because of the El Niño weather pattern. This week's storms caused some flooding of roadways and freeways, with relatively modest mudslides in area

The first major El Niño storm system finished its path through Southern California on Thursday, giving officials a chance to study both the behavior of the storms and how officials responded to them.

The assessments are important because forecasters are predicting a winter of heavy, potentially destructive rain because of the El Niño weather pattern.

This week's storms caused some flooding of roadways and freeways, with relatively modest mudslides in areas recently burned by fires...

This week was marked by three El Niño storms in a row coming in from the Pacific. Another storm is expected Saturday. Officials remain concerned that such frequent storms over time can erode hillsides and cause more mudslides.