The tornado, creating gusts of up 85 mph, left a trail 80 yards wide and a mile long, damaging homes, plowing over trees, taking down power lines and rupturing water pipes, authorities said. It hit a mile west of the 605 Freeway.

A major storm continued to wallop much of Southern California on Thursday morning, bringing evacuation warnings, fears of mudslides and heavy mountain snow.

A powerful storm dropping drenching rain on flood-prone Southern California is raising concern among forecasters that it could produce a dangerous, widespread outbreak of tornadoes, damaging winds and fires along with a blizzard as it crosses the entire United States in the coming days.

Evacuation warnings and orders have been issued for Los Angeles communities near the Eaton, Palisades and Sunset fire burn zones ahead of the rain.