Powerful storm hits Southern California, flooding highways

The second in a string of powerful storms battered California on Saturday, shutting key highways after water and mud rushed into lanes from bare hillsides in wildfire burn areas where thousands of residents were under evacuation orders.

Flash flood warnings were issued for huge swaths of Southern California and forecasters said the system will bring several inches of rain at lower elevations and heavy snow in the mountains.

A wind gust in Santa Barbara County topped 80 mph as the storm moved south and later dropped more than a half-inch of rain in five minutes. Trees and power lines were down across the region.

In the Montecito area of Santa Barbara County, several miles of U.S 101, a vital route between Los Angeles and points north and west, were closed because of flooding.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/powerful-storm-hits-southern-california-flooding-highways/ar-BBT5J3R?li=BBnb7Kz