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.

A powerful storm is bearing down on California as an atmospheric river drops through the state. While the fast-moving system will affect nearly the entire state on Thursday, Southern California is of high concern as intense rains fall on the heels of devastating wildfires — downpours that could trigger damaging floods and debris flows.

The first wave of the strongest storm of the winter began hitting Southern California on Wednesday, but the most damaging rains are expected Thursday.