Western storms bring flood threats, snow for Christmas

By ROBERT JABLON
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Forecasters say winter storms that have killed at least two people will bring flooding threats, snow and bitter cold throughout much of the West through Christmas. The new storms could drop rain and snow over much of the region into next week and plunge the Pacific Northwest into a lengthy cold snap and follow a now-departed atmospheric river that delivered copious amounts of precipitation this week. On Thursday, two people died near San Francisco when their car was submerged in a flooded underpass. In the south, a mudslide was reported in a fire-scarred Orange County canyon that had been ordered evacuated but no injuries are reported. The Sierra Nevada could see up to 10 feet of snow and forecasters warned drivers of treacherous conditions.