Heavy rains roll into LA

As students pull out their rainboots and umbrellas, other LA County residents are pulling out their sandbags and tarps as the first major rainstorm of the season closes in.

An uncharacteristically strong October storm is sweeping through the state today, and though estimates vary, it’s likely the storm will drop at least half an inch of water in the downtown LA area tonight. According to the National Weather Service, the average amount of precipitation in LA in October is .37 inches.

But the main threat is to the Los Angeles-area foothills, particularly the areas affected by the Station Fire. With rainfall of up to four inches predicted authorities are bracing for the possibility of mudslides.

The storm struck Northern California morning, and the rain is now moving south and should hit Southern California tonight.