Mudslide and flood threat prompts evacuations in burnt Southern California as major storm looms

Mudslides and flash floods, or at least the potential for them, raised new danger for Southern California on Monday as mandatory evacuations were issued for regions already devastated by wildfires and now facing the first major rainstorm of the season. "This strong storm is expected to produce heavy rain, high winds and extremely dangerous flash flooding, mud and debris flows," Santa Barbara County officials warned. "Flash floods, mud and debris flows can happen with little or no warning."On Monday afternoon, light to moderate rain had spread over much of Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties, according to the National Weather Service office in Los Angeles. By 4:20 p.m. (7:20 p.m. ET) the weather service said on Twitter that "widespread rain" across the Los Angeles Basin would affect the Monday evening commute...more