The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning in Santa Cruz County on Thursday afternoon. The warning was issued at 12:19 p.m. and was in effect until 1:00 p.m. because of a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado that was located about 7 miles south of Santa Cruz and moving northward.

Nearly 200 flights had already been delayed as of Christmas Day morning, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware, while only a small number had been canceled. Strong winds at the Bay Area's busiest airport continued to impact operations, where more than 900 flights were scheduled to arrive and depart throughout the day.

On Thursday at 5:50 p.m. an updated tornado warning was released by the NWS San Francisco CA in effect until 6:15 p.m. for San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties.

Driven by an atmospheric river, the storm has already caused at least four deaths and widespread damage since last weekend. The National Weather

San Mateo County is included in an updated tornado warning issued by the National Weather Service on Thursday at 6 p.m. The warning is in effect until 6:15 p.m.

Forecasters have said there is a small chance that a tornado could develop in parts of Southern California during the current winter storm.

A flood watch remained for the Bay Area after the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning overnight until 6 a.m.

The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed Friday the strong wind event that swept through Boyle Heights on Christmas Day was indeed a tornado.

The National Weather Service released an updated tornado warning at 9:01 p.m. on Thursday in effect until 9:15 p.m. for DeKalb and Jackson counties.

The tornado alert issued by the National Weather Service for 1 p.m. on Thursday has been cancelled. The alert covered parts of Santa Cruz County and included the cities of Santa Cruz, Capitola, and the unincorporated areas of Scotts Valley and Paradise Park. The weather service said a tornado was indicated on radar earlier in the day.

Torrential rains unleashed flash floods and warnings of debris flow across southern California, with further downpours forecast for Thursday.