LOS ANGELES — With SoCal meteorologists predicting as much as four inches of rain over the next 48 hours, the California Department of Motor Vehicles is advising drivers to stay home if possible.

Heavy rains and high winds are expected in much of Los Angeles County starting Monday and could result in flooding, power outages and mudslides, as well as downed power lines and trees.

“Driver safety is our No. 1 concern,” DMV Director Steve Gordon said in a statement the agency issued Sunday. “The safest thing to do is stay home, but if you have to be on the road during this week’s storms, please be careful and take basic safety measures.”

Like many other transportation agencies throughout the state, the DMV advises drivers to slow down and keep a safe following distance. If rain requires the use of windshield wipers, the agency also recommends turning on low-beam headlights to increase visibility.

Recently flooded areas and high winds could cause debris, branches and other obstacles to obstruct roadways. Just six inches of water is enough to reach the bottom of many passenger cars and could prompt loss of control or stalling, the agency said.

The DMV warning comes less than a week after Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a statewide emergency declaration to prepare for a series of winter storms that are expected to last through this weekend. California Office of Emergency Response Director Nancy Ward said the storms the state is experiencing in early January “may be one of the most challenging and impactful series of storms to touch down in California in the last five years.”

Winds of 25 mph and gusts of up to 40 mph are expected Monday afternoon in Orange County, according to the National Weather Service, which issued a wind advisory for the area through Tuesday afternoon. It also issued a high wind warning for the San Bernardino County Mountains, where gusts of up to 65 mph are expected.

Both the California Department of Transportation and the California Highway Patrol issued warnings last week for drivers to “stay home, stay dry and stay safe” during the winter storm. If motorists must drive, the CHP suggests making sure vehicles have properly inflated, well-treaded tires. If they live in a snowy area, chains or studded tires are advisable. Drivers should also make sure their windshield wipers are in good condition.