Flood Watch: Tropical Storm Rachel threatens Big Bear Valley through Sunday evening

The National Weather Service in San Diego issued a Flood Watch for the San Bernardino County Mountains on Friday, October 9, valid from Saturday evening through Sunday, October 11 at 8:00 PM PDT — meaning Big Bear Valley could see significant flooding impacts this weekend^[1].

Tropical Storm Rachel is the driver, pushing periods of moderate to heavy rain into the mountains^[1]. Mountain areas face the highest rainfall rates in the watch zone — up to 0.70 to 1 inch per hour — which can quickly overwhelm creeks, drainage channels, and low-lying roads^[1]. The heaviest rain is expected late Saturday night through Sunday afternoon, raising the risk of flooding in rivers, creeks, streams, and other flood-prone spots around the valley^[1].

Residents should avoid low-water crossings and flood-prone roads during and after heavy rain bands move through. For general flood safety guidance, NWS maintains a resource page at weather.gov/safety/flood (opens in a new tab).

Local emergency management and public works agencies had not yet issued specific guidance on road conditions or preparedness actions as of this report — watch for updates from San Bernardino County OES and Big Bear Lake and Big Bear City public works.