Thekkath recommends a number of places to see wildflowers starting to bloom around Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, including:

California poppies in a field. (Sundry Photography/Getty Images)

Right now, Thekkath said, you’ll see a lot of different species of poppies, lupines, fiddlenecks and goldfields. But compared to this time last year, we’re seeing only about 50% of the species blooming, since last year was a drier and warmer winter.

That said, Thekkath assured KQED Forum listeners, people can still expect more spectacular blooms all over California because of the colder winter this year. They’re just … slightly delayed.

Thekkath reminded listeners to stay on trails and not step into meadows, which can cause tremendous damage you can’t see. You’re not just threatening the millions of seeds lying in there, waiting for the right moment to germinate, but you could also be “destroying bees, caterpillars, butterflies and insects that rely on these wildflowers to support our local ecology,” she warned.

Want even more wildflower hike tips? Read our full guide, “Where to See Wildflowers Near You in the Bay Area.”

Where to see mushrooms sprouting

The wet year has also extended the mushroom season.

“Normally this time of year, it would be at the end of the season,” J.R. Blair, amateur mycologist and retired lecturer in biology at San Francisco State University, told KQED Forum.

Blair said that right now, you’ll be able to spot chanterelles, which have begun to sprout earlier. People should also be looking for yellowfoots and black trumpets, two really good edible mushrooms that can be found fruiting in numbers.

Three chanterelle mushrooms in the forest. (Tsvetomir Hristov/Getty Images)

Blair recommended visiting places like Point Reyes National Seashore and Salt Point State Park, which allow mushroom collecting in limited amounts. He reminded people to be sure to check the park websites for any closures.

Never gone foraging before and want to try it? Blair advises going on trips with local mycological societies, where you can learn from people who are more knowledgeable — and, most importantly, who can teach you how to identify the mushrooms you definitely should not eat.

“What you need to do, in essence, is to not only learn the characteristics of the edible species but learn the characteristics of the poisonous lookalikes,” said Blair.

The hikes that offer the ‘3 W’s’: Wildflowers, wildlife and wows

Brad Day, publisher for WeekendSherpa.com, recommended that KQED Forum listeners head out to Sunol Wilderness Regional Preserve in the East Bay to see some tremendous wildflowers blooming right now. Specifically, he recommends you register for the guided wildflower walks in the Little Yosemite area (PDF) as a great way to learn about the local fauna.

The Canyon View Trail to Little Yosemite brings you through beautiful woodlands and hills, with serene canyon views and a lush stream. Be sure to check out the website for closures and parking fees.

Point Reyes National Seashore from Chimney Rock Trail at sunset, in the winter of 2021. (Conrad J Camit/Getty Images)

Chimney Rock in Point Reyes is another spot Day recommends. He says such places have the “three W’s” going for them: “It has the wildflowers, has the wildlife and it has the wowing views,” said Day. And once we get some warmer weather, there will be a bounty of wildflowers at Chimney Rock through the spring.

Also, from January through May, there’s a chance you might see migrating gray whales as they head up to Alaska. “In the spring, they usually have had their babies or their calves, so they’re sticking a little bit closer to shore,” said Day. “So your chance of seeing them are a little bit better.”

Plus, Chimney Rock is a great place to spot elephant seals. Overall, said Day, Point Reyes is a great place to see a combination of all the wonders of spring.

The post Finest Bay Space Hikes for Spring: The place to See Waterfalls, Wildflowers and Mushrooms After All That Rain appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

LOS ANGELES — Authorities issued an evacuation order for over 1,500 people to leave a Northern California agricultural community early Saturday after a levee along a nearby river was breached by flooding caused by recent inclement weather.

Rain and snow pounded huge swaths of California on Friday, forcing highway closures across the state and one major dam to open its spillway for the first time in nearly four years.

Around 9,000 people were under evacuation orders in the state, California Office of Emergency Services Director Nancy Ward said.

In Tulare County, evacuation orders were issued for the parts of the small community of Springville and city of Exeter, due to flooding and swollen waterways, the sheriff’s office said. Evacuation warnings were issued along the Tule River in Porterville, population 62,000.

President Joe Biden on Friday approved a state of emergency request from Gov. Gavin Newsom, triggering federal assistance to state, “tribal, and local response efforts” caused by ongoing “severe winter storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides” the White House said.

“We’ve been here about 20 years, and we really haven’t seen anything to this extent,” said Eric Diekmann of Soquel in Santa Cruz County, whose home is on the other side of a road that washed out.

Even after flood concerns taper Friday night, more bad weather is in store for the weekend and the coming days, National Weather Service meteorologist David Lawrence said.

The storm waned throughout Saturday, but another strong atmospheric event is expected on Monday that could bring more snow in the higher-elevated mountain regions and renewed flooding concerns.

John Bays clears snow off his driveway after a series of storms, in Lake Arrowhead, Calif. (Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP)

“We will see additional rounds of both rain and heavy mountain snow redevelop across much of Northern and Central California as we go through the weekend,” Lawrence told reporters at OES headquarters in the Sacramento suburb of Mather. “And we’re also likely to see this weather pattern continuing as we go into at least the first half of next week.”

Weeks of relentless snowfall has kept the state’s transportation agency busy clearing roads of 45 million cubic yards of snow in the past month, enough to “fill more than 100 Rose Bowls,” said California Department of Transportation Chief Deputy Director Mike Keever.

Recent storms prompted the state to release water from the main spillway at Lake Oroville midday Friday, with snowmelt likely to further swell lake levels in the coming months.

It’s just the second time water has been released from the rebuilt spillway, following the 2017 disaster that upended life around Gold Country and forced the evacuation of more than 180,000 people.

People walk down a path at the Golden Gate Overlook in San Francisco (Jeff Chiu / AP)

Some of the most famous and well-traveled roads in California were shut down at times on Friday because of flooding.

• A portion of Scenic Highway 1 in Monterey County was closed due to rockfalls, water and debris.

• Southbound U.S. Highway 101 near the state’s garlic hub of Gilroy could not be used.

• Interstate 580, a major highway through the East Bay of San Francisco, finally reopened by mid-day.

• Main Street in Soquel, a community of around 9,900 in Santa Cruz County, washed away. In Kernville, northeast of Bakersfield, evacuation orders were issued due to high water in the Kern River.

State authorities warned California residents that any amount of moving water can be dangerous.

As little as 6 inches of moving water can easily knock a person off their feet, while a foot of water has the force to sweep a car away, the San Luis Obispo Office of Emergency Services warned residents of the Central Coast Friday.

“Remember, do not walk, swim or drive through flood waters and avoid non-essential travel today,” the agency said.

Transportation department officials urged state residents to check their weather before stepping outside.

The department cautioned drivers to be “prepared for delays and carry extra food, water, blankets and other essentials, and pack cellphone chargers.”

The heaviest rain had moved out of Northern California by Friday afternoon, but not before dumping around 3 to 4 inches of rain in parts of the San Francisco Bay Area, according to the National Weather Service.

Flood watches were in place for San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties until 4 a.m. Saturday, but the National Weather Service in Oxnard said Friday night that heavy rain had ended and waters were beginning to recede.

More than 10 inches of rain fell in Rocky Butte in San Luis Obispo County by 10 p.m., the weather service said, although other areas were lower. In the village of Cambria, where there had been evacuation orders for some residents that were later lifted, more than 5 inches of rain fell.

In Paso Robles, Chimney Rock Road washed away. A San Luis Obispo County spokesperson said they had issues with the road since January and had temporary fixes on it, but those failed Friday morning.

Fresno County first responders made rescues, including three women, two of whom were in their 80s and one who was 104 years old, who were trapped in their home after a culvert washed out, Sheriff John Zanoni said Friday.

A wintery weekend is expected in the Upper Midwest.

Blizzard conditions are anticipated in eastern Montana, North Dakota, and northern Minnesota through Sunday morning. An additional 6 to 12 inches of snow is projected with wind gusts over 45 mph.

A cold front could produce severe weather with the threat of hail, tornadoes, and damaging wind gusts in the Southeast and Southern plains.

A storm system on Friday dumped snow and rain across the Great Lakes, Northeast and Southeast with totals including 12 inches in Mequon, Wisconsin, 10 inches in Milwaukee, 9 inches in Woodstock, Illinois, and 4 inches around Detroit.

Rain and snow showers will continue to move from the eastern Great Lakes through the Mid-Atlantic region.

Western New York and northeast Pennsylvania could see 1 to 2 feet of snow.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com

The post Rain and snow proceed pounding California with extra torrential climate on the best way appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Community Youth Center members perform dragon dance while celebrating the Year of the Rabbit during the Chinese New Year parade in San Francisco, California on Saturday, February 4, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

The rain and wind couldn’t stop thousands of spectators from ringing in the Year of the Rabbit during the Chinese New Year parade in San Francisco on Saturday.

Dozens of dancers and floats paraded the 1.3-mile parade route from Second Street and Market Street through Union Square to Chinatown as firecrackers exploded in the damp streets and the wind blew people’s umbrellas upside down.

Dating back to the 1860s, the annual parade has grown into the largest Lunar New Year parade outside of Asia. Performers included the West Coast Lion Dance Troupe, Matsu Temple USA, Tat Wong Kung Fu Academy, the San Francisco Police Department Lion Dance Team, and many others.

“We didn’t let the rain stop us from having a good time and celebrating Lunar New Year in San Francisco. This is amazing and one of the best parades happening here,” said San Francisco parade attendee London Breed.

Click Here if you cannot see the photo gallery on your mobile device.

A group of children celebrate the Year of the Rabbit during the Chinese New Year parade in San Francisco, California on Saturday, February 4, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Firecrackers light up a dragon dance performance by members of the San Francisco Police Department’s Lion Dance Team as they celebrate the Year of the Rabbit during the Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco, California on Saturday February 4, 2023. The ( Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Members of Matsu Temple USA celebrate the Year of the Rabbit during the Chinese New Year parade in San Francisco, Calif. on Saturday, February 4, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Firecrackers light up a dragon dance performance by members of the San Francisco Police Department’s Lion Dance Team as they celebrate the Year of the Rabbit during the Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco, California on Saturday February 4, 2023. The ( Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
A marching band performs during the Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco, California on Saturday, February 4, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
A lion dance troupe performs during the Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco, California on Saturday February 4, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
A woman performs a dance as people celebrate the Year of the Rabbit during the Chinese New Year parade in San Francisco, California on Saturday February 4, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Members of Matsu Temple USA celebrate the Year of the Rabbit during the Chinese New Year parade in San Francisco, Calif. on Saturday, February 4, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Hyundai Motor America’s car celebrates the Year of the Rabbit during the Chinese New Year parade in San Francisco, California on Saturday, February 4, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Participants wear a dragon’s head as they celebrate the Year of the Rabbit during the Chinese New Year parade in San Francisco, California on Saturday, February 4, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
A group of children celebrate the Year of the Rabbit during the Chinese New Year parade in San Francisco, California on Saturday, February 4, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
A spectator fights against wind and rain. People celebrate the Year of the Rabbit during the Chinese New Year parade in San Francisco, Calif. on Saturday, February 4, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
A woman on a float waves to the crowd as they celebrate the Year of the Rabbit during the Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco, California on Saturday, February 4, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
A woman holds a rabbit plushie as spectators watch floats and performers celebrate the Year of the Rabbit during the Chinese New Year parade in San Francisco, California on Saturday February 4, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area Newsgroup)
Members of Matsu Temple USA celebrate the Year of the Rabbit during the Chinese New Year parade in San Francisco, Calif. on Saturday, February 4, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Spectators watch floats and performers celebrate the Year of the Rabbit during the Chinese New Year parade in San Francisco, Calif. on Saturday, February 4, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Women on the Caesars Entertainment float wave to the crowd as they celebrate the Year of the Rabbit during the Chinese New Year parade in San Francisco, California on Saturday, February 4, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
A woman performs a dance as people celebrate the Year of the Rabbit during the Chinese New Year parade in San Francisco, California on Saturday February 4, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
A group of youth celebrate the Year of the Rabbit during the Chinese New Year parade in San Francisco, Calif. on Saturday, February 4, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

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The post Pictures from Rain would not dampen San Francisco’s Chinese language New 12 months parade appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Hello, I’m Aarika!

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A seemingly endless series of storms devastated preparations for the Pasadena Showcase House of Design, which opened this week.

Each year, volunteer designers transform a large house in a matter of months to raise money for music programs like concerts at Disney Hall for fourth graders, instrumental competitions, and grants for other nonprofit organizations. For this year’s edition, real estate agent Matt McIntyre became the first man to serve as charity chair in the organization’s 75-year history. He notes that among their many challenges was painting the massive colonial-style mansion.

Supply chain delays and difficult weather

“[For] the cover of the show,” he recalls, “the shutters were removed on the day the picture was taken, just in time because it was the only day that week that it didn’t rain. So navigating through all the storms was quite a challenge, but we managed it.”

While the rain slowed preparations indoors, the volunteer designers also struggled with the same supply chain issues that have angered home renovators across the country. McIntyre advises people working on a kitchen or bathroom renovation to order their appliances and plumbing fixtures right away, as their arrival will be further away than they might expect.

About the property and its Indiana Jones type owner.

The 1933 property was designed by Marston & Maybury, one of the most celebrated architectural partnerships in Pasadena at the time.

The original owners were Ruth Stewart and her husband Arthur, a Union Oil executive. Designer Christopher Ward of Rosemary Home Design captures Ruth’s spirit in the artist’s retreat, which he calls the “Wunderkammer” or cabinet of curiosities.

“My research in newspaper archives shows that she was an artist,” says Ward.

“She loved nature, she loved science. She was kind of an Indiana Jones character who loved to learn all his life,” he says. “This room is a tribute to her [and] It also tells the story of part of the history of Pasadena and specifically about a woman who has contributed much through the Women’s League and through her own life, whose story deserves to be told. And so I think a big part of interior design when you’re working with historic homes is being able to articulate that to the public.

The spirit of original resident Ruth Stewart is evoked in this Christopher Ward-designed art and curiosity-filled upstairs room. His centerpiece is a custom-made table designed in the shape of a dragonfly, which he describes as the “Totem of Free Speech”.

(Susanne Welley

/

LAist)

In the center of a blue-walled room, surrounded by displays of California art, geodes, fossils and instruments, is a custom-made table designed in the shape of a dragonfly, which Ward calls a “free speech totem.” On the table is a framed photo of a smiling Mrs. Stewart with garlands of flowers, taken on a cruise to Hawaii.

“When she came back from her travels, she started throwing Tahitian-themed parties here at the house,” says Ward. “Pasadena is so full of history, I just couldn’t help but focus on that and make that a part of the story.”

Original resident Ruth Stewart, who died in 1965, is seen in this photo with garlands of flowers during a Hawaiian cruise. She and her oilman husband Arthur raised two daughters in the home.

(Susanne Welley

/

LAist)

A room designed by students

At the back of the two-acre Stewart estate is a guest house, the bedroom of which is the showpiece for five interior design students. These include Michelle Halabaso from UCLA and Missa Kato from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Halabaso learned of the opportunity through the Pasadena chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers and invited other students she had met at events via email. As Kato notes, they were “essentially total strangers.”

Interior design students Michelle Halabaso (left) and Missa Kato joined three other students who were “essentially strangers” to tackle the guest house bedroom, most of which was furnished via Zoom.

(Susanne Welley

/

LAist)

“What was exciting was that we could take our learning outside of the classroom,” says Halabaso. “Normally, the tasks at school are very individual. You can choose the furniture you want. Here we work with real world constraints, a student budget, no supplier partner relationships and sometimes begging for someone to donate or think things that were beautiful but we couldn’t afford to put them in a room.”

Homeowner approval and ever-present time pressures also presented challenges for the students, as did the need to meet via Zoom and rely solely on images on a computer screen to choose what they like. The result is a tranquil retreat in neutral tones and accented by a mobile by artist Monica Wyatt, who uses found objects in her work. It’s made of rusty nails in star patterns and paired mesh screens that resemble tiny Saturns, casting delicate shadows on the white walls.

The guest house bedroom features a mobile by artist Monica Wyatt composed of rusty nails and mesh shower drain covers.

(Susanne Welley

/

LAist)

Kato admits there were many difficulties to overcome, “but I think at the end of the day we are very happy with the result. At the same time, we have to keep reminding ourselves that this is our first project… to find out what was possible and how we can make the best of it.”

Rachel Duarte Design Studio’s dining room has nature scenes painted on the walls that originally belonged to the house. They’ve been refreshed with color that makes the birds stand out and hides other, less appetizing, woodland creatures like squirrels.

(Susanne Welley

/

LAist)

How to continue

The Pasadena Showcase House of Design is open for public tours through May 21st. Visitors park at the Santa Anita Racetrack in Arcadia and take a shuttle bus to the house on a quiet Pasadena street on the San Marino border. Tickets are required for the house tour but not for the shops and restaurant.

The organization whose volunteers organize the annual event is the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts. It has supported local music and arts programs since 1948 when it was formed as the Pasadena Junior Philharmonic Committee. His support of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra continues to this day.

Tocco Finale’s living room mixes animal prints with classic art. The 11,000-square-foot mansion was built in 1933 for $13,000, which was quite a sum during the Great Depression. The land was a wedding present from Arthur Stewart’s father.

(Susanne Welley

/

LAist)

What questions do you have about Southern California?

ask a question

The post Pasadena’s Inside Design Showcase Goes On, Regardless of Epic Rain Throughout The Rush To Get Prepared appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Demetrius Ivory, Bill Snyder and Jennifer Kohnke

1 hour ago

The second storm system, arriving in the Chicago area late Friday through Saturday in colder conditions, has the potential to produce wet snow for parts of the area with some accumulation possible

The “Bomb Cyclone” continues to chop down trees, cut power and bring torrential rain to California. It continues to open, but you can still see the well-defined counterclockwise vortex south of San Francisco.

STRONG AND HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS CONCENTRATE IN BACKCITY AREAS AND OVER THE SOUTHERN PLATES

Heavy prospects Thursday through Thursday night

THREAT OF HEAVY, POTENTIALLY DEPLOYING RAINS IN AREAS SOUTH OF CHICAGO

Excessive rain forecast for Thursday and Thursday night. Plus, Friday and Friday night excessive precipitation prospects

QUANTITATIVE RAINFALL FORECAST THROUGH MONDAY, MARCH 27

A total of 1-1.5 inches of precipitation is expected in the Chicago area over the next 5 days, but areas in the US state could experience a total of 4-5 inches of precipitation, increasing the likelihood of flooding

COLDER THAN NORMAL PATTERN THAT LOCKS UP IN THE 50’S AFTER 3 CONSECUTIVE DAYS

High temperatures

How much below normal?

European Model 2M Temperature Anomaly – 2M temperature is 2M above ground

After Thursday’s showers, mostly early in the day, the next weather system comes late Friday through Saturday bringing cool rain – then possibly some wet snow, particularly in areas north and northwest of Chicago

CLICK TO ENLARGE

The post Heavy rain, probably flooding rain prospects on the rise alongside gradual shifting frontal boundary from southwest Missouri into the Mississippi and Ohio Valleys appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

The next atmospheric flow is expected to come through the Bay Area Monday night through Wednesday morning, bringing more wind, rain and potential flooding.

The National Weather Service is predicting wind gusts of up to 70mph in some spots around the bay – with the potential to snap tree branches and damage power lines.

Forecast peak wind gusts from Monday night through Wednesday morning. Gusts of 40 to 50 mph for the valleys and gusts of 55 to 70 mph for the immediate shoreline and coastal hills over 1000 feet. Expect power outages. More details here: https://t.co/xlZP9V3TqM #cawx pic.twitter.com/3lPbUvpjsE

— NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) March 12, 2023

Rain on Sunday already prompted the NWS to issue flood warnings for Santa Clara and San Mateo counties through 8:30 p.m., warning of minor flooding in low-lying and poorly drained areas as well as streams and creeks in the area, ABC7 reported.

#BayArea rainfall so far today. This has already caused flooding in San Mateo and Alameda counties #cawx pic.twitter.com/Oew74Y62jY

— NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) March 12, 2023

Atmospheric flow could bring 1 to 3 inches of rain to low-lying land, SFGATE reported, and 3 to 6 inches of rain to higher-elevation areas. The highest parts of the bay, like Mount Diablo and the Oakland and Berkeley foothills, could see as much as 8 inches of rainfall, Patrick Ayd, meteorologist at NOAA, told SFGATE.

The weather system could also worsen flooding that has already devastated many parts of the Bay Area, including the levee failure in Monterey County that prompted the evacuation of the unincorporated community of Pajaro on Saturday, KPIX reported.

In San Francisco, the city is still distributing sandbags to flood-prone properties on the public works property.

The upcoming atmospheric flow should be moving relatively quickly, meteorologists say, so it shouldn’t drop as much rain as the last few storms.

Image via Unsplash/Edgar Chaparro.

The post Monday’s Atmospheric River Will Be a Quick-Transferring One However Carry Bursts of Excessive Winds and Extra Rain appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

LOS ANGELES — Rain and snow battered huge swathes of California on Friday, forcing statewide highway closures and a major dam to open its spillway for the first time in nearly four years.

About 9,000 people were under evacuation orders in the state, said Nancy Ward, director of the California Office of Emergency Services.

In Tulare County, evacuation orders have been issued for parts of the small community of Springville and the city of Exeter due to flooding and swollen waterways, the sheriff’s office said. Evacuation warnings were issued along the Tule River in Porterville of 62,000 people.

President Joe Biden on Friday approved an emergency motion from Gov. Gavin Newsom, triggering federal assistance to state “tribal and local response efforts” caused by ongoing “severe winter storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides,” the White House said.

“We’ve been here about 20 years and really haven’t seen anything of this magnitude,” said Eric Diekmann of Soquel in Santa Cruz County, whose home is across a washed-out road.

Even after Friday night’s flood concerns taper off, more bad weather is in store for the weekend and the coming days, National Weather Service forecaster David Lawrence said.

John Bays clears snow from his driveway on March 8, 2023 after a series of storms in Lake Arrowhead, California.Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP

“We will see more rounds of rain and heavy mountain snow throughout much of northern and central California throughout the weekend,” Lawrence told reporters at OES headquarters in the Sacramento suburb of Mather. “And we’ll also likely see that weather pattern continue as we head into at least the first half of next week.”

Weeks of incessant snowfall have kept the state transportation agency busy clearing roads of 45 million cubic yards of snow over the past month, enough to “fill more than 100 rose bowls,” said California Department of Transportation assistant director Mike Keever.

Recent storms prompted the state to release water from the main spillway at Lake Oroville on Friday noon, with snowmelt likely to continue to raise lake levels in the coming months.

This is only the second time water has been released from the rebuilt spillway, following the 2017 disaster that turned life upside down around Gold Country and forced the evacuation of more than 180,000 people.

People walk along a path at the Golden Gate Overlook in San Francisco on Thursday.Jeff Chiu/AP

Some of California’s most famous and busiest roads were temporarily closed Friday due to flooding.

• A portion of Monterey County’s Scenic Highway 1 has been closed due to falling rocks, water and debris.
• U.S. Highway 101 southbound near Gilroy State’s Garlic Center could not be used.
• Interstate 580, a major highway through San Francisco’s East Bay, finally reopened around noon.
• Main Street in Soquel, a Santa Cruz County community of about 9,900, was washed away. Evacuation orders were issued in Kernville, northeast of Bakersfield, due to flooding in the Kern River.

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State authorities have warned California residents that lots of running water can be dangerous.

As little as 6 inches of flowing water can easily knock a person off their feet, while one foot of water has the power to sweep a car away, the San Luis Obispo Office of Emergency Services warned Central Coast residents Friday.

“Remember, don’t walk, swim or drive through flood waters and avoid unnecessary travel today,” the agency said.

Transportation Department officials urged residents of the state to check their weather before going outside.

The department warned drivers to “be prepared for delays and pack extra food, water, blankets and other essentials, and pack cell phone chargers.”

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The heaviest rain had pulled out of northern California by Friday afternoon, but not before dumping about 3 to 4 inches of rain in parts of the San Francisco Bay Area, according to the National Weather Service.

Flood watches were in place for San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties through 4 a.m. Saturday, but the National Weather Service in Oxnard said Friday night the heavy rain had stopped and the water was beginning to recede.

More than 10 inches of rain fell in Rocky Butte in San Luis Obispo County through 10 p.m., the weather service said, although other areas were lower. More than 5 inches of rain fell in the village of Cambria, where evacuation orders had been issued for some residents but were later lifted.

In Paso Robles, Chimney Rock Road was washed away. A spokesman for the San Luis Obispo County said they had had road problems and temporary fixes since January, but these failed as of Friday morning.

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Fresno County first responders rescued, including three women, two in their 80s and one in 104, who were trapped in their home after a culvert was washed out, Sheriff John Zanoni said Friday.

Difficult weather conditions will also bring heavy snow to parts of the northern plains on Friday and parts of the upper Mississippi Valley on Saturday.

Rain is also expected to develop over parts of the middle Mississippi Valley and snowfall is expected to make its way to the Great Lakes by Sunday.

A storm system threw snow and rain across the Great Lakes of the Northeast and Southeast on Friday, with totals of 12 inches in Mequon, Wisconsin, 10 inches in Milwaukee, 9 inches in Woodstock, Illinois and 4 inches around Detroit.

Rain and snow showers will continue to move from the eastern Great Lakes through the mid-Atlantic region.

Western New York and Northeast Pennsylvania could get between 4 inches and 8 inches of snow.

Alicia Victoria Lozano is a California-based reporter for NBC News, focusing on climate change, wildfires, and the changing politics of drug laws.

Chantal Da Silva is the Breaking News Editor at NBC News Digital, based in London.

David K. Li is a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital.

Phil Helsel is a reporter for NBC News.

The post California faces menace of heavy snow, rain and floods that would put lives in ‘nice hazard’ appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Millions of Americans could feel the effects of a major storm system bringing rain, wind and snow to much of the West. It is then expected to migrate across the heartland and into the Northeast in the coming days.

As a major winter storm sweeps across the country, millions of Americans brace themselves for treacherous weather conditions.

In California, high winds uproot trees and down power lines, leaving homes and businesses dark.

A rare snowstorm warning remains in effect for parts of Southern California — including the Los Angeles area — Saturday as some areas endure heavy snow and record rainfall that has led to dangerous flooding.

Severe weather conditions on the west coast have brought unfamiliar wintry conditions at higher elevations, particularly over the mountainous areas of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, where up to 30 inches of snow can pair with winds of 80 miles per hour, the National Weather Service said.

The Blizzard warnings should last until Saturday afternoon. The Los Angeles office of the National Weather Service had not issued a snowstorm warning since 1989.

And the threat of more power outages lingered on Saturday, the National Weather Service said.

The heavy snowfall and strong winds can ultimately mean that visibility for people in the area is close to zero even when the snow stops falling, as strong winds can blow the flakes off the ground. Weather warnings have called for extreme caution when travelling.

There was between 20 and 40 inches of snow over the course of three days Friday night at high elevations on Southern California’s Big Bear Lake, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The agency also reported that many vehicles were stuck Friday morning, prompting state officials to close roads.

At the same time, torrential rain is expected to continue pounding the Los Angeles metro area on Saturday after the area was flooded a day earlier.

“A cold, strong and potentially dangerous winter storm will bring bouts of heavy rain and mountain snow with gusty southerly winds to most of southwest California through Saturday,” the weather service said.

Thunderstorms resulted in a ground stop at LAX. Departures to parts of California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona were delayed, with some arrivals being diverted to Ontario, California.

The heavy rains are also raising the water level in the Los Angeles River several feet higher than usual.

Motorists and vehicles were seen stranded after water levels rose and some roads became impassable. A driver was stranded on Interstate 5 in flooding.

A flash flood warning for around 1 million people in Los Angeles, Glendale and Santa Clarita remained in place during the late night hours through Saturday morning.

“It’s pretty treacherous conditions up north. There’s a lot of snow, a lot of ice,” said Joshua Greengard, PIO of the California Highway Patrol.

RELATED: Winter storm Delilah creates perfect conditions for ice ball formation in Lake Michigan

Further north, the San Francisco Bay Area is experiencing its second day of snow.

“Real snow, no joke, not just a little bit of dust, but real snow here in the East Bay Hills,” said Michael Sullivan, an Oakland Hills resident.

Ten-year-old Jackie Pierce got the chance to build her first snowman.

“Thank you weather that it snowed,” she said.

Portland, Oregon was also hit with more snow.

A road worker was injured after stopping to help a motorist after a van driver lost control after driving on ice.

The same weather system is expected to move east over the weekend, bringing damaging winds to parts of the Midwest where residents are already digging out after a storm earlier this week.

Michigan’s outages won’t fully return until Sunday

The aftermath of the same weather system that ravaged California and numerous states across the country earlier this week is still affecting hundreds of thousands of people in the Midwest.

Nearly 500,000 Michigan homes and businesses were left in the dark Saturday after a strong winter storm created dangerous icing conditions, according to tracking site PowerOutage.us. Wayne County recorded the highest number of dropouts with more than 150,000.

DTE, one of Michigan’s largest electric providers, is restoring power to affected areas but warns most customers will be able to resume service before Sunday.

The storm hit several western states and the Great Lakes region, delivering masses of snow for several days.

Crews in Wyoming were in search and rescue mode after more than 40 inches of snow fell in southern parts of the state over the course of several days, leaving motorists trapped in heavy snowfall, the state highway patrol said on Twitter.

In Minnesota, Minneapolis officials on Friday declared a one-day snow emergency due to heavy snowfall, and city crews have been plowing and treating roads. The city was hammered by more than 13 inches in three days this week.

Since the storm began Monday night, accumulated snowfall has reached dozens of inches in some cities, including 48 inches in Battle Lake, Wyoming, 32 inches in Dupuyer, Montana, and 29 inches in Park City, Utah.

In New England, freezing conditions likely contributed to a massive pile-up of 15 vehicles on the Massachusetts Turnpike Thursday night, according to a tweet from Massachusetts State Police.

The Northeast, which hasn’t seen much wintry weather so far this season, could feel the effects of this westerly storm by Tuesday.

ABC News and CNN contributed to this post.

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