Storm brings rain winds to California, tornado risk near burn scars

A fast-moving Pacific storm moving into California Monday evening is expected to bring widespread rain, gusty winds, mountain snow and a rare, limited tornado threat to parts of Southern California on Tuesday, prompting evacuation warnings for communities near recent wildfire burn scars and flood watches across multiple counties.

National Weather Service forecasters said the storm will reach Southern California Monday night and peak through Tuesday afternoon, with much of the region receiving between 0.75 inch and 1.5 inches of rain and locally higher totals in narrow bands of heavy showers or thunderstorms. The Storm Prediction Center placed Los Angeles in a Level 1 tornado risk, saying in its advisory that "an isolated tornado and wind damage threat will be possible Tuesday morning through midday along the coast in southern California." The system also has produced substantial rain and travel impacts in Northern California and pushed heavy snow into the Sierra Nevada.

Local and state officials issued evacuation warnings Monday for neighborhoods downslope of recent fires, including areas affected by the Palisades, Eaton, Mandeville, Hurst and Sunset fires, and parts of Altadena...