Severe October Storm Forces Evacuations in Los Angeles

Tue Oct 14 2025 23:06:54 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Residents in wildfire-affected areas of Los Angeles face potential mudslides and severe weather as a powerful storm approaches the region.

A rare October storm is projected to bring heavy rains, high winds, and possible mudslides to Los Angeles, prompting evacuations in neighborhoods scarred by wildfires. Officials emphasize the unpredictability of the storm, which could lead to dangerous conditions including urban flooding and fallen trees.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — As Southern California braces for a rare October storm, some homes in wildfire-scarred Los Angeles regions have been ordered to evacuate due to fears of heavy rainfall, high winds, and possible mudslides.

We’re very concerned about the weather, stated Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass during a press conference. Strike teams, rescue units, and helicopters are on standby for potential emergency responses.

The evacuations primarily affect about 115 homes in the Pacific Palisades and Mandeville Canyon areas, which faced devastating wildfires earlier this year that claimed over 30 lives and resulted in the loss of more than 17,000 structures in Los Angeles County.

Mayor Bass and other officials urged residents to remain vigilant and indoors, predicting that the worst of the storm would hit early Tuesday and continue into the afternoon. By Monday night, more than 16,000 residents were already experiencing power outages.

The National Weather Service's Los Angeles office warned that certain areas could receive up to 4 inches of rain, describing the storm as a rare and powerful system.

Ariel Cohen, the meteorologist leading the Los Angeles NWS, noted that the storm’s unpredictability could bring a few tornadoes, further complicating the situation. The nature of this system is such that we cannot be certain about its impacts until they occur, he explained.

As preparations commenced, teams from the Los Angeles Fire Department began patrolling affected regions, and the California Department of Transportation closed part of Route 27 in anticipation of the storm.

Forecasters also alerted residents to the threat of strong winds that could uproot trees and down power lines. In the Sierra Nevadas, snowfall of up to 3 feet is expected. Heavy rains began falling across Northern California on Monday evening, causing urban flooding near the San Francisco Bay Area.

Businesses like Gladstones Restaurant on Pacific Coast Highway announced closures in anticipation of the heavy rains, particularly due to concerns about debris flows.

With memories of past disasters still fresh—most notably a devastating mudslide in Montecito in 2018 that caused widespread damage and loss of life—concerns regarding post-fire debris flows are at an all-time high. The community is left at the mercy of nature as they brace for the storm's onslaught.

In addition to the storm in California, Typhoon Halong has impacted Alaska, causing significant flooding and damage, with reports of one casualty and two missing persons. Recovery efforts are underway in these areas as winter approaches.