LOS ANGELES: 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 major highways.
More than 1.2m 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. Rainfall in downtown San Francisco hit 5.46 inches on New Year's Eve, making it the second-wettest day on record, behind a November 1994 deluge, the National Weather Service said. Videos on Twitter showed mud-coloured water streaming along San Francisco streets, and a staircase in Oakland turned into a veritable waterfall by heavy rains.
The rain was welcomed in drought-parched California. The past three years have been the state's driest on record - but much more precipitation is needed to make a significant difference.