San Francisco: A powerful storm sweeping California has prompted flash-flood watches and evacuations in areas stripped bare by devastating wildfires. The storm that began moving in Friday night is expected to bring up to 4 inches of rain in some areas, winds gusting to 80 mph, 10-foot waves and up to 10 feet of snow in the Sierra Nevada.
A flash-flood watch is in place through Saturday morning for the entire San Francisco Bay Area and much of the Central Coast. Evacuations have been ordered or recommended for many areas of Northern and Southern California that were hit by wildfires in recent months. Authorities fear that an inch of rain an hour could send fire debris, mud and boulders sluicing down denuded hillsides.
The National Weather Service says more rain and snow could arrive with cold weather systems on Sunday and Monday.