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A megastorm ripped through Northern California on Saturday with 50 mph winds and rain, as well as 11 inches of snow in some areas.
Officials in Sacramento said more than 30,000 people were without power as power lines were downed.
In Sacramento County, at least five cars were trapped in power lines Saturday afternoon.
A National Weather Service bulletin stated: “Strong winds, heavy snow, and heavy precipitation will reach the Pacific Northwest today and then affect California.”
While in the Sierra Nevada, up to five feet of snow is expected, three inches per hour. The snowfall began Friday night.
A flood watch is in effect for Placer, Colusa, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano, Sutter, Yolo, and Yuba counties.
That advisory reminds motorists never to drive through floodwaters. Poor conditions are expected to last through Monday.
Flooding and winds in excess of 50 mph are forecast and conditions are expected to last through Monday.
The winds are expected to be strong enough to break tree branches.
The NWS said the area is “extremely dangerous” to travel with snow reducing visibility and near-blackout conditions reported.
The US Forest Service has been under an avalanche watch in the area since Friday, with a high mudslide danger from Saturday through Sunday.
A 250-mile stretch of the Sierra from north of Reno to south of Yosemite National Park was under a winter storm warning through at least Sunday.
Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort reported 10 inches of snow this weekend. Resort spokeswoman Laura Burke said: “It seems like every week or so another big storm hits.”
The NWS said the area is “extremely dangerous” to travel with snow reducing visibility with near-vanished conditions reported.
A 250-mile stretch of the Sierra from north of Reno to south of Yosemite National Park was under a winter storm warning through at least Sunday.
At least five cars were reported to be trapped between downed power lines in Sacramento County on Saturday afternoon.
The Forest Service’s Sierra Avalanche Center said in a statement: “A winter storm with hurricane-force winds, high-intensity snowfall and feet of new snow accumulation can result in widespread avalanche activity in the mountains.”
The statement continued: “Triggering avalanches would be easy on steep slopes in exposed and protected areas where new snow rests on soft snow or where windblown snow exists near crests.”
A stretch of California Highway 89 was closed due to heavy snow between Tahoe City and South Lake Tahoe, California, the highway patrol said.
Interstate 80 between Reno and Sacramento remained open, but tire chains were required for most vehicles.
Up to 18 to 28 inches of snow is forecast over the weekend at lake level, and up to 4 feet at elevations above 7,000 feet with 50 mph winds and gusts up to 100 mph.
On the eastern slope of the Sierra, a winter weather advisory runs from 10 p.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. for Reno, Sparks and Carson City, with snow accumulations of 1 to 3 inches in the valley floors and up to 8 inches) above 5,000 feet.
Other mountain ranges on the West Coast will see one to three feet of snow, the NWS said. The agency also said: “Confidence was unusually high for high winds and significant snowfall to produce hazardous impacts” in the Central Plains. Adverse weather is expected to affect Colorado through Wisconsin next week.
The state of California has recently been experiencing dry conditions, so increased precipitation will offer some relief, according to the national Draft Monitor.
Coastal erosion and flooded roads are the main concern.
Although the rain is likely to produce hazardous conditions for many state residents.
The storm will move eastward beginning Monday, reaching Colorado and Wisconsin before hitting Florida on Friday.
Roger Gass, an NWS meteorologist, said crowns: ‘We have a cold coming in from the north later tonight and rain starting to develop in the North Bay tonight. Additionally, southerly winds will begin to pick up ahead of this cold front with wind gusts potentially in excess of 45 mph.
He added: “It will eventually reach the Central Coast and Monterey Bay region by the time we move into Saturday afternoon with possible lingering showers and thunderstorms through Sunday.”
CNN Meteorologist Chad Myers said: ‘As the system moves towards the plains early next week, a spring storm system is developing. Significant severe weather in warm air will occur across the South and a major snow and ice event will occur over the western Great Lakes and northern Plains.
The National Weather Service in Bismarck, North Dakota, said in a news release: ‘A winter storm is expected to impact the northern Plains Monday through Thursday nights. Difficult travel conditions are expected Monday night through Wednesday night due to heavy snowfall, reduced visibility, and drifting snow.
Elsewhere, severe storms will also be seen in the Southeast and the Lower Mississippi Valley this week.
Matthew Elliot of the Storm Prediction Center told CNN: “While tornadoes in December are relatively uncommon compared to spring, they are often more likely in parts of the Southeast and the lower Mississippi Valley, where there is often a secondary peak in the fall and winter.’
As of Wednesday, the storm will have moved toward New Orleans and Florida.