SoCal Tornadoes Possible As Evacuations, River Rescues, Power Outages Slam Southland

Swaths of Southlanders living in communities scarred by recent wildfires were under evacuation orders on Tuesday morning as a rare October storm slammed the region, flooding freeways and threatening mudslides.

By mid-morning, and inch of rain had fallen in downtown Los Angles, nearly double the region's average for the month of October, according to the National Weather Service. Residents living in Los Angeles and Orange County burn scar areas were ordered to evacuate under the threat of mudslides.

The worst of the storm was expected to drench Southern California through Tuesday, with a flood watch and "severe" thunderstorm watch in effect in many cities. Forecasters also said the storm could still produce a few brief tornados before it leaves the area.

Authorities were on high alert throughout the region for mudslides as first responders worked to evacuate residents from high-risk properties, particularly where the Palisades and Eaton fires wrought destruction earlier this year.

“We’re very concerned about the weather,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said during a news conference Monday night, urging that strike teams, rescue teams and helicopters were all ready to respond.

Downpours were moving through the region early Tuesday, with drivers hydroplaning and some accidents reported on flooded roads. A flood watch was expected to expire at 3 p.m. in Los Angeles County and at 5 p.m. in Orange County.

"Flash flooding problems will mount quickly after the rain starts. There will even be a few thunderstorms that not only drop briefly heavy rain but also produce some wind and even hail," according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Chad Merrill.

As of 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, most areas had already received an inch of rain, with the foothills and mountains expected to get up to three inches.

By mid-morning, crews in Los Angeles had already rescued a 30-year-old woman and two dogs from a platform in the storm-swollen Los Angeles River in the 17300 block of West Oxnard Street in the Sepulveda Basin. A 45-year-old man was also brought to safety, and he was being taken to a hospital in fair condition with mild cold exposure, according to the LAFD. The woman declined to be taken to a hospital.

Over in Riverside County, a man was swept away by raging waters in a storm canal amid intense rain, prompting firefighters to mount a rescue operation adjacent to the Riverside (91) Freeway to get him out.

The National Weather Service’s Los Angeles office warned that the storm could drop up to 4 inches of rain in some areas, describing it as a “rare and very potent storm system.”

"There is a significant risk of debris flows, road flooding, and isolated wind damage," forecasters in LA said Tuesday morning.

"In the meantime, pockets of severe weather are possible across LA/Ventura Counties as radars have been picking up on some rotation. Can't rule out a small tornado or waterspout as well as isolated gusty winds up to 60 mph," forecasters warned.

Ariel Cohen, meteorologist in charge of the weather service in Los Angeles, said one major challenge is its unpredictability.

“The nature of this system is such that we cannot be certain about exactly when and where these impacts will strike, the exact details until right before they occur at the earliest,” he said.

Evacuations covered about 115 homes, mostly in Pacific Palisades and Mandeville Canyon — areas devastated in January by a massive wildfire that killed a dozen people and destroyed thoousands of homes and buildings across Los Angeles County. Wildfires often strip hillsides of vegetation that anchors soil, leaving them prone to mudslides during heavy rain.

An evacuation warning was also issued Monday afternoon for residents near the Eaton Fire burn scar in Altadena, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

There were also mandatory evacuation orders issued in Orange County in areas near the Airport Fire burn scar.

LA mayor Bass and other officials urged residents throughout the region to stay alert and remain indoors as conditions worsened. The heaviest rainfall was expected late Tuesday morning through the afternoon.

Meanwhile, more than 16,000 customers in Southern and Central California had already lost power, according to PowerOutage.us.

Crews Patrol Fire-Scarred Los Angeles

For many Angelenos, one of the most devastating natural disasters in recent memory is still posing significant threat as burn scars leave the region vulnerable to flooding and mudslides.

Teams from the Los Angeles Fire Department began patrolling the area Monday night and a section of state Route 27, beginning at the Pacific Coast Highway, was closed in preparation for the storm, Caltrans said on social media.

Gladstones Restaurant, situated along Pacific Coast Highway, announced it would close Tuesday ahead of the expected heavy rains. The Pacific Palisades spot sits at an intersection known for heavy debris flow during past storms.

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