Rare October storm brings heavy rain in LA

Los Angeles, Oct. 15: Some homes were ordered evacuated in wildfire-scarred Los Angeles neighborhoods as Southern California was hit by a rare October storm that was expected to pummel the region with heavy rain, high winds and possible mudslides.

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

The evacuations covered about 115 homes mostly in Pacific Palisades and Mandeville Canyon, both struck by a massive inferno in January that killed more than 30 people in all and destroyed over 17,000 homes and buildings in Los Angeles County. 

Wildfires can leave hillsides without vegetation to hold soil in place, making it easier for the terrain to loosen during storms. Bass and other officials warned residents across the region to remain alert and stay indoors. 

The worst was expected to begin early Tuesday and carry through the afternoon, and more than 16,000 had already lost power as of Monday night, according to PowerOutage.us.

The storm could result in up to 4 inches (10.2 centimeters) of rain in some areas, according to the National Weather Service's Los Angeles office, which described it as a "rare and very potent storm system."

Ariel Cohen, meteorologist in charge of the weather service in Los Angeles, said the storm could even bring a couple of tornadoes, and 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.

Teams from the Los Angeles Fire Department had started 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, the California Department of Transportation, known as Caltrans, said on social media.

The weather service also warned of high winds that could knock down trees and power lines. To the north, up to 3 feet (1 meter) of mountain snow was predicted for parts of the Sierra Nevadas.

Heavy rain had already started falling Monday evening across much of Northern California, bringing some urban flooding around the San Francisco Bay Area.

Gladstones Restaurant, located along the Pacific Coast Highway, said it was closing on Tuesday in anticipation of the heavy rains. The Pacific Palisades establishment is located at an intersection that has experienced heavy debris flow during past rains.(AP)