Major storm to hit California with flash flooding, strong winds, heavy snow

(NEW YORK) — Numerous weather alerts have been issued for California, Nevada and Arizona, including a flood watch for Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and San Diego, with a significant storm on its way to the West Coast.

After a storm brought 10 to 13 inches of snow from California to Utah earlier this week, a bigger storm is on its way to Southern California with flash flooding, strong winds and heavy snow.

The heaviest rain will move into the San Fransisco Bay area late Friday morning into early afternoon before moving down the coast into Santa Barbara and Los Angeles by the evening and into Saturday morning.

On-and-off showers with thunderstorms will continue Saturday into Sunday for Southern California, including San Diego.

Most areas will see 1 to 3 inches of rain; locally, in the foothills of southern California, up to 6 inches of rain is possible. This could cause cause flash flooding, mudslides, rockslides and debris flow.

In the mountains, from the Sierras to southern California, about 1 to 3 feet of snow are expected.

By Sunday, part of the same storm system will move into the Rockies with heavy snow possible there — locally 1 to 2 feet.

By Monday, the storm will move into the Heartland with severe weather possible from Texas to Illinois. The biggest threat with these storms will be damaging winds, hail and a few tornadoes.

By Tuesday, severe weather will move into the Ohio River Valley and the Mid-South from Alabama to Ohio with damaging winds, heavy rain and isolated tornadoes.

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