Los Angeles faces rare tornado threat Tuesday as storms sweep through California
In addition to tornadoes, thunderstorms could pack damaging winds and heavy rain.
Los Angeles faces tornado threat for Tuesday
FOX Weather Meteorologist Adam Klotz outlines the forecast for Los Angeles on Tuesday, when storms could pack a punch.
LOS ANGELES – A powerful storm system racing into the West Coast will bring a rare threat of tornadoes to Los Angeles on Tuesday.
NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has included Los Angeles in a Level 1 risk area – the lowest of the agency’s five-level scale.
(FOX Weather)
"An isolated tornado and wind-damage threat will be possible Tuesday morning through midday along the coast in southern California," SPC forecasters wrote in their discussion of the threat.
According to an analysis by the FOX Forecast Center, this is the first time Los Angeles proper has been in a tornado risk zone since February 2023.
While uncommon, tornadoes do happen in the Los Angeles area. Most recently, a small one was reported in Los Angeles County in April. In 2023, the strongest tornado to hit the Los Angeles area in 40 years damaged several buildings in Montbello and injured one person.
![Tornado Touches Down Near Los Angeles In Montebello, California]()
Image 1 of 8MONTEBELLO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 22: An aerial view shows roof damage after a possible rare tornado touched down in a Los Angeles suburb on March 22, 2023 in Montebello, California. Another Pacific storm has been pounding California with heavy rain, high winds, and snow. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) ( )
![Tornado Touches Down Near Los Angeles In Montebello, California]()
Image 2 of 8Montebello, CA - March 22: Crews start to clean up debris after a strong microburst -- which some witnesses dubbed a possible tornado -- heavily damaged several cars and buildings, including the roof of the Royal Paper Box Company, shown in photo, in Montebello Wednesday, March 22, 2023. Video from the scene showing portions of rooftops being ripped off industrial structures and debris swirling in the air. The National Weather Service on Tuesday night issued a brief tornado warning in southwestern Los Angeles County, but it was allowed to expire after about 15 minutes when weather conditions eased. There was no such warning in place late Wednesday morning when the powerful winds hit Montebello, near the area of Washington Boulevard and Vail Avenue. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) ( )
![Tornado Touches Down Near Los Angeles In Montebello, California]()
Image 3 of 8MONTEBELLO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 22: An aerial view of roof damage after a rare confirmed tornado touched down and ripped up building roofs in a Los Angeles suburb on March 22, 2023 in Montebello, California. Another Pacific storm has been pounding California with heavy rain, high winds, and snow in higher elevations. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) ( )
![Tornado Touches Down Near Los Angeles In Montebello, California]()
Image 4 of 8MONTEBELLO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 22: An aerial view of roof damage after a possible rare tornado touched down and ripped up building roofs in a Los Angeles suburb on March 22, 2023 in Montebello, California. Another Pacific storm has been pounding California with heavy rain, high winds, and snow in higher elevatio. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) ( )
![Tornado Touches Down Near Los Angeles In Montebello, California]()
Image 5 of 8MONTEBELLO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 22: An aerial view of roof damage after a possible tornado touched down and ripped up building roofs in a Los Angeles suburb with the Los Angeles skyline in the distance on March 22, 2023 in Montebello, California. Another Pacific storm has been pounding California with heavy rain, high winds, and snow. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) ( )
![Tornado Touches Down Near Los Angeles In Montebello, California]()
Image 6 of 8Montebello, CA - March 22: Insurance adjusters view damage to cars and the roof of the Royal Paper Box Company that was torn off during a strong microburst -- which some witnesses dubbed a possible tornado -- at the scene where one person injured nearby and heavily damaged several cars and buildings Wednesday, March 22, 2023. Five buildings have been damaged and one has been red-tagged. Video from the scene showing portions of rooftops being ripped off industrial structures and debris swirling in the air. The National Weather Service on Tuesday night issued a brief tornado warning in southwestern Los Angeles County, but it was allowed to expire after about 15 minutes when weather conditions eased. There was no such warning in place late Wednesday morning when the powerful winds hit Montebello, near the area of Washington Boulevard and Vail Avenue. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) ( )
![Tornado Touches Down Near Los Angeles In Montebello, California]()
Image 7 of 8Montebello, CA - March 22: An inspector views damage and debris after a strong microburst -- which some witnesses dubbed a possible tornado -- which injured one person and heavily damaged several cars and buildings, including the roof of the Royal Paper Box Company, shown in photo, in Montebello Wednesday, March 22, 2023. Five buildings have been damaged and one has been red-tagged. Video from the scene showing portions of rooftops being ripped off industrial structures and debris swirling in the air. The National Weather Service on Tuesday night issued a brief tornado warning in southwestern Los Angeles County, but it was allowed to expire after about 15 minutes when weather conditions eased. There was no such warning in place late Wednesday morning when the powerful winds hit Montebello, near the area of Washington Boulevard and Vail Avenue. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) ( )
![Tornado Touches Down Near Los Angeles In Montebello, California]()
Image 8 of 8Montebello, CA - March 22: A pickup bed liner is lodged into a tree outside the Royal Paper Box Company, where the roof was torn off during a strong microburst -- which some witnesses dubbed a possible tornado -- at the scene where one person injured nearby and heavily damaged several cars and buildings, including the roof of the Royal Paper Box Company in Montebello Wednesday, March 22, 2023. Five buildings have been damaged and one has been red-tagged. Video from the scene showing portions of rooftops being ripped off industrial structures and debris swirling in the air. The National Weather Service on Tuesday night issued a brief tornado warning in southwestern Los Angeles County, but it was allowed to expire after about 15 minutes when weather conditions eased. There was no such warning in place late Wednesday morning when the powerful winds hit Montebello, near the area of Washington Boulevard and Vail Avenue. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) ( )
Flooding also a threat
Severe weather is not the only threat from the storms expected to rip across California on Tuesday.
NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center has placed the Los Angeles area in a Level 2 risk zone out of a possible four levels on the agency's scale.
(FOX Weather)
Heavy rain on the order of 1-4 inches could lead to flash flooding in some places, especially in areas most susceptible to the threat such as burn scars.
The worst of the weather should be north and east of Southern California by Tuesday evening.