SAN FRANCISCO—Rivers were rising and winds were whipping up across Northern California on Sunday as a massive storm that could be the biggest to slam the region in more than a decade arrived.
Residents and authorities cleared storm drains and stacked sand bags, preparing for the system expected to reach full force late Sunday and early Monday.
Some flooding was reported Sunday morning, including along U.S. 101 in Sonoma County, where stranded motorists had to be rescued. Swift water teams performed rescues at a mobile home park in Marin County, where officials reported road closures and some damage from flooding and fallen trees.
Authorities were watching rising water levels of several rivers, including the Cosumnes, Truckee, Merced, American and Russian.
Forecasters warned of heavy rain that could down trees and trigger mudslides as the system gains strength throughout the day. Several feet of snow were predicted in the Sierra Nevada.
The stormy weather comes as California enters its sixth year of drought. Each drop of rain is welcomed, but officials said several more big storms are needed to replenish depleted groundwater supplies.
The strong wet season began in October with more rain falling than in three decades, mostly in Northern California. Los Angeles, which will likely get the brunt of the latest system early Monday, is experiencing its wettest winter in six years, forecasters said.
