Major storm threatens Southern California with flooding, tornadoes

Some evacuation warnings in Los Angeles County were upgraded Monday evening as steady rainfall increased the risk of debris flows near recent wildfire burn scars. Officials said mandatory evacuation orders now cover 114 locations in the Palisades and Mandeville Canyon areas, where LAPD officers have been going door to door urging residents to leave.

Mayor Karen Bass joined Los Angeles Fire Department and National Weather Service officials at Fire Station 59 in Sawtelle to update the public on the developing storm, which is expected to bring its heaviest rainfall overnight.

"We are hoping that the system will not be as bad … but of course we want to be extremely prepared," Bass said, warning residents not to let their guard down as conditions worsen.


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Burn scar evacuation zones

On Monday, the city of Los Angeles issued an evacuation warning for multiple areas in the shadow of the Palisades Fire burn area, including in Pacific Palisades and Malibu.

The Los Angeles Fire Department said evacuation warnings would likely remain in effect from 10 p.m. Monday night into early Wednesday morning.

Residents near the Eaton Fire burn scar are also being placed on alert by Los Angeles County. The warnings are tentatively scheduled to remain in place until Wednesday morning.

An interactive map with evacuation warning notices can be found at AlertLA.org.

In Orange County, a voluntary evacuation warning was issued for residents near last year's Airport Fire burn scar, including those near Trabuco Creek, Hot Springs Canyon, Bell Canyon, Long Canyon and Modjeska Canyon.

Storm threats and conditions

The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch for much of Southern California through Tuesday afternoon, warning of intense rainfall, destructive winds up to 60 mph, and even the potential for isolated tornadoes in some areas.

Meteorologist Ariel Cohen with the National Weather Service said the system could bring "widespread, significant rainfall" and "potential for a couple of tornadoes across the area."

Driving conditions have already deteriorated in parts of San Bernardino County, including Earp, California, where heavy rain and strong winds caused localized flooding along the Colorado River.

Road closures

CALTRANS announced the closure of a nearly four-mile stretch of Topanga Canyon Boulevard between Pacific Coast Highway and Grand View Drive, citing ongoing work in the Palisades Fire burn zone and the heightened risk of debris flow.

Officials urged motorists to avoid the area and seek alternate routes as conditions continue to worsen throughout the evening and overnight hours.

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Emergency response deployment

The Governor's Office of Emergency Services, in coordination with LAFD, has pre-deployed additional resources to Southern California, including a 22-member strike team, urban search and rescue units, high-water vehicles, rescue swimmers, and helicopters capable of responding to flash floods and rescues.

State and local emergency teams are positioned throughout the region to respond quickly to any incidents related to the storm system.

Safety recommendations

Residents are being urged to avoid unnecessary travel, stay indoors where possible, and remain alert to evacuation orders and weather updates overnight.

Authorities emphasized the importance of heeding evacuation orders, particularly in areas near burn scars where the risk of debris flows and mudslides is significantly elevated due to the lack of vegetation to absorb rainfall.