Southern California was being pounded by a major storm Thursday morning, bringing evacuation warnings and feats of mudslides.

At least some debris flow is ongoing in the Malibu area, with portions of the Pacific Coast Highway closed. The same storm system driving severe weather elsewhere in the country is fueling one of the most widespread and potent rounds of rain in Southern California since the historic January fires.

The strongest wave of a powerful winter storm reached Southern California overnight, bringing flash flood warnings, dropping snow levels and a possible tornado. The heaviest rain was dumped during the early morning hours with rates near 1 inch per hour at times prompting officials to issue a flash flood warning for the Airport Fire burn