California is drying out and digging out after a powerful storm brought drenching rain or heavy snowfall to much of the state
Traffic maneuvers around a fallen tree after a it was blown over by a passing storm in the Van Nuys section of Los Angeles on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023. California was drying out and digging out on New Year's Day after a powerful storm brought drenching rain or heavy snowfall to much of the state, snarling traffic and closing highways.
More than 4 feet of snow had accumulated in the high Sierra Nevada, and the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area said heavy, wet snow would cause major delays in chairlift openings. On Saturday, the resort reported numerous lift closings, citing high winds, low visibility and ice. In Southern California, several people were rescued after floodwaters inundated cars in San Bernardino and Orange counties. No major injuries were reported.
It was the first of several storms expected to roll across the state in the span of a week. Saturday's system was warmer and wetter, while storms this week will be colder, said Hannah Chandler-Cooley, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Sacramento.