California braces for dangerous flooding as massive storm moves in

(NEW YORK) — Twenty-three states from California to Connecticut are on alert for blizzard, heavy snow, flooding, strong winds and bitter wind chill as two massive winter storms pound the U.S.

In California, over 100,000 customers are without power Friday morning as the West Coast storm pounds the region.

Six inches of rain is forecast for Southern California, where flooding and mudslides are possible.

A rare blizzard warning was issued for Southern California where up to 8 feet of snow is possible in the highest elevations in the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains.

Big Bear Lake in the mountains of Southern California has already seen 37 inches of snow, with more to come.

A dusting of snow has even reached the hills around San Francisco and the hills of Hollywood.

In the Midwest and the Northeast, residents are digging out from the second winter storm.

Over 700,000 customers in Michigan are without power Friday morning after an ice storm hit, coating trees and power lines.

A volunteer firefighter in Paw Paw, Michigan, died Wednesday evening when a power line fell on him, according to Paw Paw Fire Chief Jim DeGroff. The buildup of ice caused a tree limb to snap the line, DeGroff said.

Minneapolis saw over 1 foot of snow, marking the city’s second-biggest February snowstorm.

In the Northeast, the storm dumped 6 to 10 inches of snow in New England and upstate New York.

Now a short-lived cold blast is expected for the Northeast. The wind chill — what temperature it feels like — is forecast to plummet to 14 degrees in New York and minus 6 degrees in Boston.

Washington, D.C., which saw a record high of 81 degrees Thursday, will face a dramatic plunge to a wind chill of 25 degrees by Saturday morning.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.