Severe thunderstorms sweep across southwest California

Severe thunderstorms swept across much of southwest California on Tuesday, bringing heavy rain, flash flooding, and debris flow risks to the area. The U.S. National Weather Service issued warnings for strong thunderstorms affecting Los Angeles County and surrounding areas.

The agency warned of a high risk of debris flows over recent wildfire burn scars and issued flash flood warnings for the Palisades burn scar area and Malibu regions.

Due to a forecasted storm, the Los Angeles Fire Department announced on Monday that an evacuation alert has been issued from 10 p.m. that night until 6 a.m. on Wednesday for areas affected by the Palisades, Hurst, and Sunset fires.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said that city crews are closely monitoring the forecast and are ready to respond to any emergencies. She encouraged residents to stay alert, avoid flooded roads, and be careful of potential debris flows in hillside neighborhoods.

(Cover: A view of Los Angeles, California, the U.S., October 14, 2025. /VCG)