A relentless atmospheric river storm continued to drench Southern California on Christmas Day, unleashing heavy downpours that have already dumped more than half a foot of rain in some areas and triggered widespread flooding.

Mandatory evacuation orders remain in effect for several communities, particularly those near wildfire burn scars, as saturated hillsides pose a high risk of mudslides and debris flows. The community of Wrightwood in the San Gabriel Mountains appears to be the hardest hit, with homes buried under several feet of mud.

The National Weather Service warned the “long-duration atmospheric river event” is not over.

Showers are expected to taper off by late Friday, with dry weather returning for the weekend. Until then, multiple watches, warnings and advisories remain in effect across Southern California.

By Thursday afternoon, much of the region had already received 2 to 6 inches of rain, with higher totals in foothill and mountain areas. Snow levels, which hovered above 7,500 feet on Wednesday, were expected to drop to around 6,500 feet Thursday and even lower Friday, delivering fresh powder to resort elevations.