LOS ANGELES — Rain rolled into Los Angeles County on Monday and was expected to continue through Wednesday, with the latest storm system bringing heavier precipitation and a threat of flash flooding to western Los Angeles County and swaths of Ventura County.

A flash flood warning was in effect Monday for a large portion of western L.A. County, including the Santa Monica Mountains, extending eastward to the Hollywood Hills and Griffith Park. Other areas affected by the flash flood warning included surrounding areas in Malibu and the San Fernando Valley.

Around 11 a.m. Pacific time, radar indicated light and moderate showers over that area, and “heavier showers will overspread the warned area through the day. Law enforcement has already reported landslides occurring across the warned area,” the weather service said.

At about 9:30 a.m., there were reports of a mudslide blocking the westbound lanes of Pacific Coast Highway near Santa Monica; another mudslide covering one lane of U.S. 101 near La Conchita in Ventura County; and large boulders blocking both lanes at the intersection of Malibu Canyon and Piuma roads north of Malibu.

Officials reported flooding on the Refugio Road off-ramp near U.S. 101 in Santa Barbara County, close to Refugio State Beach, and “several vehicles were stuck in the flooded roadway,” the weather service said.

There were earlier reports of flash flooding and landslides in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties Monday morning, with between 3 to 7 inches of rain dropping. Santa Barbara Airport was closed Monday morning due to flooding.

There were reports of two lanes of U.S. 101 in Ventura shut Monday morning due to flooding, the weather service said.

There were also reports of flooded roads in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, including a large fallen tree and heavy mud that flowed on sections of Highway 192 in and near the foothill areas of Santa Barbara, Montecito and Carpinteria.

Heavy rainfall rates were reported in parts of Ventura County, of up to 0.75 inches per hour.

Compared with the historic storm that pummeled the region earlier this month, forecasters expect “much less rain” for Los Angeles County this time but warned that the most intense precipitation of the storm was expected during the day Monday and Tuesday night. Over the next three days, downtown could see up to 2.4 inches of rain; Santa Clarita, 2.19 inches; Long Beach, 1.8 inches; and Torrance, 1.97 inches.

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