Wild weather hits Southern California

A tropical storm nearing Southern California on Friday brought fierce mountain winds, high humidity, rain and the threat of flooding to a region already dealing with wildfires and an extraordinary heat wave that has stressed the electrical grid.

In a mix of bad and good, firefighters feared powerful winds could expand the massive Fairview Fire 70 miles north of San Diego, while forecasters said the change in weather would finally end California's heat wave.

Tropical Storm Kay, downgraded from hurricane status, was expected to continue northward off Mexico's Baja California peninsula and then veer west without making landfall in Southern California but still have a strong impact there.

The National Weather Service warned of a threat of flash floods for much of Southern California, Arizona and southern Nevada.