Sunny Weekend Weather Ahead, as Pasadena and Altadena Largely Avoid Serious Storm Damage

Pasadena and Altadena experienced sharply different impacts from a holiday storm that brought more than a foot of rain to some mountain areas and produced a rare EF0 tornado in Boyle Heights, but both communities are now headed into a dry weekend, according to local officials and the National Weather Service.

Pasadena experienced “no major incidents,” Chief Communications Officer Lisa Derderian said.

“We’ll still be optimistically cautious what the next few days can bring after the rain subsides,” Derderian told Pasadena Now. “Parade preparations are in full swing and we’re looking forward to a few dry days for the thousands of visitors enroute to Pasadena.”

While K-rails were deployed by the Pasadena Fire Department as a precaution, there were no verified reports of major breaches or home inundations within city limits.

Altadena, designated a major impact zone, saw more severe effects.

Verified reports confirm that Sidecca Boutique on Lake Avenue flooded with approximately four inches of water, causing significant structural and inventory damage. A portion of the ceiling collapsed due to water intrusion, and the business owner reported that “most products and furniture were destroyed” inside the shop.

Significant mud pileups were also verified at intersections in East Altadena near ravines fed by burn scar runoff, and active debris flows were recorded in foothill areas below the Eaton Fire burn scar.

The broader region saw more dramatic weather. An EF0 tornado struck at 10:10 a.m. Thursday in Boyle Heights, about ten miles from Pasadena, with a maximum wind speed of 80 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

All evacuation orders and warnings in Los Angeles were lifted as of 6 p.m. Friday, and the flood watch issued for the city was also lifted.

A dry weekend is forecast, though forecasters said there is another chance of rain Thursday and Friday, with the system potentially bringing another 2 to 3 inches of rain to mountains and foothills.