Flood watches in California as more storms forecast
Flood watches were in place over a swathe of California after a powerful storm dumped several inches of rain, with forecasters warning of yet another incoming front.
Central and northern parts of the state were walloped as a bomb cyclone, fueled by a moisture-laden atmospheric river, unleashed torrents of rain on already-soaked ground.
The rainfall resulted in localised flooding, while gusty winds downed power lines, knocking out electricity to tens of thousands of people.
At least two people died, including a young child whose mobile home was hit by a falling tree.
The National Weather Service said it was the wettest 10-day period for San Francisco in 150 years, with more than 25 centimetres of rain falling on the city.
The rain was beginning to peter out, but its effects continued to be felt.
"Winter Storm Warnings remain in effect across the Sierra Nevada and Flood Watches remain over both central and coastal regions of California into," the National Weather Service said.
"Rainfall could become hazardous and lead to scattered instances of flash flooding over the coastal ranges of northern California.
"Additional rainfall amounts of 3 to 6 inches, with locally higher totals are possible and could exacerbate flooding concerns throughout what has become a very saturated region."
California, and much of the western United States, is in the grip of a more-than two-decade drought.
