California:  California experienced a severe storm on Saturday that brought in the new year, with much of the state experiencing drenching rain or significant snowfall that snarled traffic and shut down highways.

Up to 2 feet (0.6 metres) of snow may fall in the high Sierra Nevada from late Saturday to early Sunday. The National Weather Service in Sacramento issued a traffic advisory and shared images of traffic on snow-covered mountain passes where four-wheel drive or chains were required for vehicles.

A long and wide plume of moisture from the Pacific Ocean was being drawn in by the so-called atmospheric river storm, which also caused rock slides and flooding that forced the closure of some roads in northern California.

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Before moving south, the storm, according to Weather Service meteorologist Courtney Carpenter, could dump over an inch of rain on Saturday in the Sacramento region. One ski area south of Lake Tahoe shut down its chairlifts due to flooding and other issues, and it tweeted a picture of one lift tower with its empty chairs submerged in water.

We have a lot of flooding right now," Carpenter said. Photos of a railroad underpass covered in water and a car that appeared to be stuck in more than a foot (30 centimetres) of water were shared by the Stockton Police Department.

In California's drought-stricken state, the rain was welcomed, but much more precipitation is required to noticeably alter the situation. California has experienced its driest three years ever.

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According to the National Weather Service in Reno, Nevada, a winter storm warning was in place into Sunday for the upper elevations of the Sierra from south of Yosemite National Park to north of Lake Tahoe, where up to 5 feet (1.5 metres) of snow is possible on the mountains.

Through New Year's Eve, a large portion of Northern California was under a flood watch. Residents were urged to prepare sandbags after officials issued a warning that rivers and streams could overflow.

Some San Francisco Bay Area rainfall totals exceeded 4 inches (10 centimeters).

Highway 70 east of Chico was partially closed by a slide, and the northbound side of Highway 49 east of Sacramento was closed due to flooding, according to the state transportation agency, which also reported numerous other road closures. Highway 50 in El Dorado County, which is east of Sacramento, was closed due to flooding.

Roadways in Humboldt County, where a 6.4 magnitude earthquake occurred on December 20, started to flood, according to the Eureka office of the National Weather Service. If the Eel River, which it crosses, rises too high, a bridge that was briefly closed last week due to earthquake damage might be closed once more, officials warned.

The storm was the first of many that were predicted to hit California over the following week. According to Hannah Chandler-Cooley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento, the current system is anticipated to be warmer and wetter, while the storms that develop the following week will be colder, causing the snow levels in the mountains to decrease.

Over the course of the period, the Sacramento region could see a total of 4 to 5 inches (10 to 13 centimetres) of rain.

The weather service in Reno warned that "strong winds could damage trees and result in power outages, and high waves on Lake Tahoe could capsize small vessels."

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South of Yosemite, the backcountry near Lake Tahoe and Mammoth Lakes was under avalanche warnings. On the eastern front of the Sierra, minor to moderate flooding was anticipated along some rivers and streams into the weekend, prompting flood watches and warnings to remain in effect north and south of Reno, Nevada.

On Saturday, moderate to heavy rain fell in Southern California. On New Year's Day, the area will start to dry out, and Pasadena's Rose Parade on January 2 shouldn't experience any rain.

The National Weather Service in Oxnard predicted another round of heavy showers for Tuesday or Wednesday.