California officials are urging holiday travelers to avoid the roads on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. A series of powerful winter storms is expected to douse California with relentless rain, heavy winds, and snow this week. Much of the state will see heavy rains and gusts that could lead to flooding, mudslides and rock slides. The Sacramento Valley and San Francisco Bay Area are under flood and high wind warnings through Friday. The Sierra Nevada will see heavy snow and strong winds, making travel nearly impossible. Southern California could see its wettest Christmas in years and warned about mudslides and debris flows. Some 380 particularly vulnerable households were ordered to leave.

Southern California is getting hit by a rare October storm that's pummeling the region with heavy rain and heavy winds. Mudslides are possible Tuesday. Some homes have been ordered evacuated in wildfire-scarred Los Angeles neighborhoods. Flames can leave hillsides without vegetation to hold soil in place and making it easier for the terrain to loosen during storms. The evacuations covered about 115 homes, mostly in Pacific Palisades and Mandeville Canyon. As downpours moved through the region, drivers hydroplaned and some accidents were reported on flooded roads. The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings in several counties that recently had wildfires.

Residents of a Southern California mountain community near the Eaton Fire burn scar are digging out of roads submerged in sludge after the strongest storm of the year swept through the area, unleashing debris flows. Dry weather returned to the region but the risk of rock and mudslides on wildfire-scarred hillsides continued Friday since dangerous slides can strike even after rain stops. Water, debris and boulders rushed down the mountain in the city of Sierra Madre Thursday night, trapping at least one car in the mud and damaging several home garages with mud and debris.

Evacuations have been ordered for remote communities near a new wind-driven wildfire in mountains north of Los Angeles. The Hughes Fire broke out late Wednesday morning and quickly burned through hundreds of acres of trees and brush, sending up a huge plume of dark smoke near the Lake Castaic area. The fire comes as parched Southern California could get some badly needed rain this weekend. But even a small amount of precipitation could create new challenges like toxic ash runoff. Meanwhile, red flag warnings for critical fire danger are in effect through Thursday.