Torrential downpours from Wednesday’s atmospheric river have caused widespread street flooding across metro Los Angeles, including the full closure of the 5 Freeway – and more rain is in the forecast.
Video shared on the Citizen app showed the normally busy interstate submerged under several feet of water near Penrose Street in the northeast San Fernando Valley starting at about noon.
Both sides of typically busy freeway were closed from Penrose Street to Lankershim Boulevard.
Caltrans crews worked to clear water from the roadway, according to the California Highway Patrol, which said in a 2 p.m. update that the freeway would remain closed “until further notice.”
Later in the evening, CHP said I-5 would remain closed past midnight due to lingering debris on the roadway. It finally reopened around 4 a.m Thursday when CHP announced the SigAlert was canceled.
There were no reports of injuries or drivers trapped in their vehicles at any point.
The flooded I-5 freeway in Sun Valley on Dec. 24, 2025. (Citizen)
The flooded I-5 freeway in Sun Valley on Dec. 24, 2025. (KTLA)
The flooded I-5 freeway in Sun Valley on Dec. 24, 2025. (KTLA)
The National Weather Service is forecasting 4 to 7 inches of rain falling on coastal and valley areas of Southern California through Friday. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency for the region.
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