In Santa Barbara, people living in at-risk areas were told to leave by 3 p.m. Wednesday. The National Weather Service in Los Angeles said on X around 5 p.m. local time that the storm was "rapidly intensifying" over Los Angeles County.

In the Los Angeles area, the burn scars that carry the highest risk are those from the Eaton and Palisades fires from January and the Bridge fire from the fall.

The storm system, which cut a path from Kentucky to Maryland and points farther north on Tuesday, brought more than 14 inches (37 centimeters) of snow to Iron Gate, a tiny Appalachian town in western Virginia,

Los Angeles County was placed under an updated flash flood warning by the National Weather Service on Thursday at 5:46 p.m. The warning is in effect until 9 p.m.

An atmospheric river is bearing down on California, bringing with it heavy rains, evacuation orders and flash flood warnings. It's building up to another severe weather setback for an area still reeling from devastating wildfires.

A powerful storm fueled by an atmospheric river is drenching California, triggering evacuation orders and flood warnings.