The fourth storm in as many days is expected to bring up to three inches of rain Thursday, with thunderstorms and even hail. Meteorologists predict this will be the strongest storm of the week. The area could see as much 0.75 inches of rainfall per hour in today's storm.

The National Weather Service has put flash flood warnings in place in the foothills, especially the burnt out areas of August's Station Fire in La Canada Flintridge. 

The danger for mudslides prompted the Los Angeles County Fire Department to put more than 1,000 homes in La Canada, La Crescenta, Glendale, Acton and Tujunga under mandatory evacuation orders.

Officials say many homeowners - who may have to stay away from their homes until Monday - have chosen to ignore the warnings. 

The Los Angeles Times said Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa warned that homeowners who receive an evacuation order should leave their residences immediately or risk "another "La Conchita" situation. Five years ago, 20 people were killed when a hillside in the Ventura County community collapsed.

Several evacuation orders initially went into effect Wednesday, when a severe storm prompted the National Weather Service to issue tornado warnings in South Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Whittier.

The streets around the Sepulveda basin were closed yesterday.

Long Beach saw some of the worst flooding. The rains flooded the 710 freeway and forced Cal State Long Beach officials to cancel classes for the day. Witnesses reported seeing cars swept away by swift, waist-high flood waters.

In addition to flooding roads, the storm also knocked out power for about 3,000 customers in Koreatown and Brentwood.

For updated information on street closures due to today's storm, visit Los Angeles County's Web site.