First Thunderstorm Watch In 17 Years Issued for SoCal — Tornado Risk, Heavy Rain, And Mudslides Expected

A rare and powerful October storm is hitting the region, bringing heavy rain, strong winds, and the threat of mudslides in wildfire-scarred neighborhoods, *PBS* reports. Authorities ordered evacuations for more than 100 homes in Pacific Palisades and Mandeville Canyon, where burned hillsides are unstable. The National Weather Service warns that some areas could see up to 4 inches of rain, with a chance of tornadoes forming later in the day. Power outages are already spreading, leaving more than 16,000 customers in the dark across Southern and Central California. Officials also warn of dangerous winds that could knock down trees and power lines. State Route 27 near the Pacific Coast Highway is closed as firefighters patrol vulnerable areas. Businesses like Gladstones Restaurant along the coast shut down for safety, anticipating debris flows that have hit the area in past storms. Farther north, the same system [brings snow](https://secretlosangeles.com/snow-los-angeles/) to the Sierra Nevada mountains and flooding around the San Francisco Bay Area. The weather service calls this a “rare and very potent” storm for October, and meteorologists admit its unpredictable path makes it hard to know exactly where the worst impacts will strike next. Source: https://secretlosangeles.com/rare-heavy-storm-hit-socal/