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Residents in Southern California are used to earthquakes and extreme heat, but this week, they are seeing the effects of the Pineapple Express. The rain started falling Sunday Morning and has not stopped, dumping nearly 10 inches of rain in 36 hours in Los Angeles and Orange County.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency for all of Southern California as the massive rain is expected to cause significant flooding and mudslides across the region.
Pixar Pier, Disney California Adventure Park, Disneyland Resort / Credit: Disney
Related: State Department Issues Travel Warning For Disney Hot Spot
As a result of this state of emergency, the Disneyland Resort has been forced to close early for the second straight day, forcing visitors, especially those from out-of-state, to find shelter in their hotels.
Disneyland is also experiencing higher-than-normal winds, which can cause dangerous conditions for guests and cast members. The combination of winds and rain caused Disneyland to shut down its theme parks early today, especially given that so many of the rides at Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure have outdoor components or are entirely outdoors.
Disney’s California Adventure was supposed to close at 9 p.m. tonight but will close at 8 p.m. instead. Disneyland Park was set to close at 10 p.m. tonight but will close at 8 p.m. as well.
This marks the second straight night that Disneyland has had to shutter early due to the drenching rain and strong winds. Guests who have planned trips to Southern California hoping for sun find themselves incredibly disappointed by the current conditions.
Credit: Disney
It is incredibly rare for Disneyland to shut down or close early. The theme parks were closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, but before that the parks only shut down for significant world events, like September 11 or earthquakes.
Disneyland isn’t the only area theme park to shut down today. Knotts Berry Farm, SeaWorld San Diego, and Six Flags Magic Mountain all closed for the day on Monday, forcing guests to attempt to get their money back for a day lost.
At least Disneyland could open, even if it was only for a part of the day in the pouring rain. But it appears that the Pineapple Express will be staying in California for a while.
@ScottGustin Noticed that both #Disneyland and #DisneyCaliforniaAdventure are both closing early today, likely because of the SoCal storm. Disneyland was supposed to close at 10pm, and DCA was closing at 9pm. Both are now listed as closing at 8pm. pic.twitter.com/nPUsBai6LR
— cstephens2 🍥 (@cstephens2@mastodon.social) (@cstephens2) February 5, 2024
What is the Pineapple Express?
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a Pineapple Express occurs when rivers of atmospheric moisture are transferred from the tropics to northern latitudes. The NOAA continues:
A well-known example of a strong atmospheric river is called the “Pineapple Express” because moisture builds up in the tropical Pacific around Hawaii and can wallop the U.S. and Canada’s West Coasts with heavy rainfall and snow.
For those who don’t understand a #PineappleExpress, I’ll explain. Yesterday, LA received more than a month rain in 24 hrs, with more coming. Also, flood control measures make most of it flow to the Pacific. So, we’ll still have a drought. Now, here’s your Moment of Zen #LARain pic.twitter.com/cIVY2JW8Qp
— Patrick Murray (@NPRPatrick) February 5, 2024
According to local weather reports, the rain is expected to continue in the region until at least Thursday or Friday. Some areas of Southern California should expect 14-15 inches of rain between Sunday and Wednesday, which could lead to significant flooding and mudslides in the area. At least one person has already been killed in the storm.
We will continue to update this story at Disney Fanatic.
