Strong storms are expected to move in across the region Wednesday through Friday, bringing flooding risks particularly in recent burn scars.

Some road closures have been announced in anticipation of flooding risks.

Pacific Coast Highway closed at noon Wednesday, March 12, between Chautauqua Boulevard and Carbon Beach Terrace until further notice because of the risk of mud and debris flow in burn scar areas, according to CalTrans. Highway 330 outside of San Bernardino will close beginning at 2 a.m. Thursday, March 13, because of potential debris flows from the Line fire burn scar, Caltrans said.

Los Angeles police distributed address-specific evacuation orders Tuesday to residents in burn areas of the Palisades, Sunset and Hurst fires, which are expected to be “susceptible to heavy rain.”

Los Angeles County

Heavy rain is expected to start Wednesday evening and last through early Thursday morning, and it will switch to lighter, scattered showers around 6 or 7 a.m., according to National Weather Service meteorologist Rose Schoenfeld.

Thunderstorms are possible across the area Wednesday evening through Thursday afternoon, potentially bringing flooding, gusty winds, heavy downpours, hail and even a small tornado.

Meteorologists expect coastal areas to receive around one to two inches while mountains and foothill community could see between two and four inches of rain, Schoenfeld said.

Flood watches are in effect for most of L.A. County, with the possibility for flooding across the area. Schoenfeld said there’s a 30% to 50% chance of major flooding impacts in burn scar areas with concerns for mudslides, road erosion, debris flows and cars being stuck in mud.

Evacuation warnings and orders are in place for Sierra Madre through 6 a.m. Thursday. No one should park on the street in affected areas, but all overnight parking restrictions will be lifted in non-evacuation warning or order zones.

Anyone living in areas that typically flood should prepare with sandbags and anything else they may need to protect their property, Schoenfeld said.

Residents who live near recent burn scars, like the Eaton and Palisades fires, should stay vigilant and listen to their local officials as the storm moves in.

“Prepare for power outages, roadway blockages that will make it difficult to travel in and out of that area,” Schoenfeld said. “We’d urge people to avoid traveling during the peaks of rain.”

Residual flooding could continue Thursday morning, so commuters should remain cautious even as the rain lessens. Light rain will continue Friday, with totals remaining under a quarter of an inch.

Temperatures will remain cool through the rest of the week, with highs in the mid-50s across the county Thursday and Friday. Highs should warm up a bit over the weekend but will likely remain cooler than normal.

Inland Empire and Orange County

The heaviest precipitation is expected to hit the area between about 3 a.m. and 9 a.m. Thursday morning, bringing heavy rain and occasional thunder, according to National Weather Service San Diego meteorologist Paul Steward.

Rain totals will vary, with some parts of Riverside seeing about half an inch to an inch of rain, while areas like Lake Elsinore, Temecula and Hemet could see an inch to an inch and a half of rain. In Orange County, areas like Anaheim, Irvine and San Clemente could see between an inch and an inch and a half of rain, and Huntington Beach could see around half an inch to an inch at most.

Coastal areas will see lower totals because strong westerly winds will push the rain inland towards the Santa Ana Mountains. Communities around the mountains in Orange County and the Inland Empire could see between two and two and a half inches.

“If you’re planning to travel or commute to work in the morning, just be prepared,” Steward said. “It can be pretty messy out there.”

A flood watch is also in place for much of Orange County and the Inland Empire, with officials paying special attention to recent burn scar areas.

In Orange County, officials issued evacuation warnings for areas in the Trabuco Canyon, Hot Springs Canyon, Bell Canyon, Long Canyon and Modjeska Canyon due to possible debris flows along or near the Airport Fire burn scar.

Light rain will continue Friday through Saturday morning, bringing about a tenth of an inch at most in some areas, Steward said.

Temperatures will stay chilly over the next few days, with highs in the mid to low-50s across the Orange County and Inland Empire areas and windy conditions making it feel colder. Around the Santa Ana Mountains, highs could drop as low as 37 degrees.

Staff writer Nathaniel Percy and City News Service contributed to this report.