A powerful storm system unleashed heavy rain and snow across Northern California on Wednesday night, with threats of flash flooding, rockslides, and debris flows in the latest wave of destructive weather to affect the West Coast.
The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for areas north of San Francisco, extending through Saturday as the strongest atmospheric river of the season inundated the region.
The storm, which began Tuesday, brought significant rainfall to Northern California and southwestern Oregon, with up to 16 inches expected through Friday.
Santa Rosa, for example, recorded 5 inches of rain in just 24 hours, according to Marc Chenard, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
Snow Depth Across the West Coast
Officials warned that dangerous flash flooding and rockslides were possible, with more than a dozen small landslides reported in northern California, including one that caused a vehicle crash on Highway 281.
'Bomb Cyclone' Intensifies as Winter Weather Strikes
The storm system is classified as a "bomb cyclone," a term for a rapidly intensifying storm.
The northern Sierra Nevada region faced the threat of up to 15 inches of snow above 3,500 feet, with wind gusts reaching up to 75 mph in mountainous areas.
By Wednesday evening, the storm had already dumped over a foot of snow in the Cascades, prompting warnings of blizzard conditions and near impossible travel through mountain passes.
Power Outages and Travel Disruptions
The storm also wreaked havoc in Washington state, where nearly 376,000 homes were without power due to high winds and heavy rain from the previous night.
Tragically, the storm caused the deaths of at least two people in Washington, including a woman in Lynnwood who was killed when a tree fell on a homeless encampment and another in Bellevue when a tree struck a home.
In California, nearly 21,000 power outages were reported, with rough weather conditions leading to the closure of southbound Interstate 5 for an 11-mile stretch from Ashland, Oregon, to the California border. Travel disruptions were widespread, with hundreds of flights delayed and dozens of cancellations at San Francisco International Airport.
The National Weather Service also issued flood warnings for parts of southwestern Oregon through Friday evening, while high winds halted a ferry route in northwestern Washington.
The storm is expected to continue, with officials urging residents in affected areas to stay alert and prepared for further weather-related hazards.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press
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