One killed in flash flooding in Redding as Northern California pummeled by storm
One person was killed during flash flooding in Redding on Sunday night as emergency responders conducted water rescues and major roadways were closed throughout the north state during the first of back-to-back severe storms.
City officials confirmed the fatality in a Facebook post by Redding Mayor Mike Littau, who said police and fire crews “have been out doing water rescues” and reported “1 fatality confirmed.” Littau told the Redding Record Searchlight that the person had drowned in a vehicle that caught in floodwaters at Wyndham Lane and South Market Street, which carries Highway 273.
“An RPD (Redding Police Department) officer swam out into the water — broke the windows and pulled the victim back to shore,” Littau told the newspaper. He told the Record Searchlight that the person had died at the scene.
The Shasta County Coroner’s Office announced the identity of the victim as Richard Michael Wilsey, 74, of Redding.
The mayor also said in his social media post that the city was standing up its emergency operations center and that the Red Cross had opened an evacuation center and shelter at the Pilgrim United Church of Christ at 2850 Foothill Blvd. as rain is forecast to continue through the Christmas week.
“Please stay safe tonight and call in to report any emergencies or issues of concern so staff is aware,” Littau wrote Sunday night.
The National Weather Service in Sacramento issued a flash flood warning Sunday evening for downtown Redding and surrounding areas in Shasta County, describing the situation as “life-threatening.” The warning expired at 10:45 p.m. though more flood warnings remain in effect through Monday as well as until Saturday.
Highways and surface streets in the Redding bore the brunt of the rain, which totaled more than an inch and a half by 7 p.m., according to the weather service. Caltrans District 2 reported closures on northbound and southbound Highway 273 near Bonnyview Road and Wyndham Lane due to flooding. The California Highway Patrol urged drivers to avoid the area Interstate 5 near the Hartnell Road and Cypress Avenue interchanges, warning that lanes in both directions were underwater and traffic had slowed considerably. At least one other rescue took place near Salmon Creek and Old Alturas roads, east of the city, according to KRCR-TV.
“Conditions are unsafe, and first responders are already stretched thin,” Caltrans said in an alert. “If you must travel and encounter water on the roadway, turn around — don’t drown.”
Since Saturday, the storm has dumped between 4 and 6 inches of rain in parts of Redding and Shasta County, overwhelming drainage systems and prompting a flood advisory that remains in effect through noon Monday. The advisory covers Shasta, Tehama, and Glenn counties and warns of continued minor flooding in low-lying areas.
Although rain eased Monday morning, forecasters expect precipitation to return Tuesday evening to Redding, which is 150 miles north of Sacramento.
“Light to moderate rain will linger until things pick back up,” the weather service said. Mountain areas are expected to see significant travel impacts through Christmas.
Flooding concerns in Placer amid downpour
Other parts of Northern California also received a downpour. In the 72 hours ending 7 a.m. Monday, rainfall had totaled as much as 20 inches in the hills above Paradise.
More than 12 inches of precipitation had fallen at Emigrant Gap, not far from where authorities had issued evacuation warnings in Cisco Grove due to the rising South Yuba River. The Placer County Sheriff’s Office said the evacuation order was issued for homes along Hampshire Rocks Road, between Donner Pass Road and Cisco Road.
Authorities had to rescue nine people from a home that sat on the banks of the South Yuba around 1:15 p.m. No injuries were reported.
On Monday morning, deputies said conditions on the river “remain steady with no noticeable rise in water levels.” They said one home remained evacuated but the advisory had been relaxed to a warning.
Rainfall in the Sacramento area has comparative remained light. In the 72 hours ending 7 a.m. Monday, most capital locations reported between a quarter-inch and three-quarters of an inch. Sacramento Executive Airport had measured .33 inches of rain while the international airport saw .48 inches in the three-day span. Totals cross the one-inch mark east of the city with Rocklin receiving 1.24 inches and El Dorado Hills getting 1.51 inches over the weekend, according to weather service gauges.
Latest doppler radar loop for Northern California
Storm outlook for Sacramento area
Showers will continue Monday but a brief reprieve is expected through Tuesday morning before widespread rain and mountain snow return.
Snow levels will drop to around 5,500 feet by Wednesday. Wind gusts of up to 55 mph are forecast Wednesday into Thursday, forecasters said. Sacramento will stay overcast for the day with temperatures in the upper 50s.
In the Sierra Nevada, heavy snow accumulation of 3 to 6 feet is likely above 6,500 feet, with lower elevations seeing up to a foot. Flooding is possible in urban areas, low-lying locations and near small creeks and streams. The flood watch in effect through the weekend stretches from Redding to Sacramento to as far south as Turlock and includes the foothill communities.
Rainfall totals could reach 3 to 8 inches in the Valley and more than 10 inches in parts of the Sierra north of I-80. Officials were also watching for potential rockslides and mudslides in mountainous areas.
This story was originally published December 22, 2025 at 7:58 AM with the headline "One killed in flash flooding in Redding as Northern California pummeled by storm."