San Francisco Hit With Floods, Mountains to get Heavy Snow

Highways flooded in San Francisco, Calif., Wednesday after more than an inch of rain fell overnight, setting off mud and rock slides in the nearby Santa Cruz mountains. The Sierra Nevada mountains were expected to get slammed with four to five feet of snow.

Flood warnings and watches were issued for 11 counties in the San Francisco Bay area, and forecasters said heavy rains would last through Thursday.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or property damage from the storm, which should boost the snowpack that provides about a third of California’s water in normal years for drinking, farming and wildlife when it melts in warm, dry months.

The heaviest snow was expected in areas with elevations above 4,500 feet in northern and central parts of California. Mountainous areas below 4,500 feet could still get two to three feet of snow, forecasters said.

The storm was fantastic news for skiers. The Mount Rose, Squaw Valley, Homewood and Kingvale ski resorts had already received 30 inches of fresh snow between Sunday and Tuesday, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.