Dangerous western storm

2:44 p.m. ET 1/4/08
M. Ressler, Meteorologist, The Weather Channel
Severe Weather Outlook Submit your own video OAS_AD('MapSpon') <!--<IMG SRC="http://image.weather.com/web/blank.gif" WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=420 NAME="holdspace" ID="holdspace" BORDER=0 ALT="">--> if (isMinNS4) { var mapNURL = "/maps/news/severewinterforecast/index_newscenter.html"; } The strongest in a series of storm systems is plowing into the West with its impacts spreading far inland to the Rockies this weekend. Already, the wind and heavy rains have hit Oregon and particularly the northern half of California. Winds in the coastal mountains either side of the Oregon-California border gusted over 150 mph during the morning. Winds gusted to just over 100 mph on the hill tops around Oakland and San Francisco, causing tree and power line damage. Winds have also gusted to between 60 and 80 mph in the Redding and Sacramento areas. The most homes without power are in the Sacramento area. In the Columbia River Basin, winds gusted to near 80 mph in Walla Walla, Washington, causing damage.
Heavy rain totals in the coastal mountains north of San Francisco have reached 8 inches.
Heavy rain is gradually shifting southward from northern California into central California and finally into Southern California. Rain totals will range from 2 to 5 inches in the valleys and along the coast to as much as 1 foot in the coastal mountains. Flash flooding is likely along the entire California coast and will not be confined to burn areas.
Snow levels will plummet in the northern California mountains and the Sierra now through Saturday morning with levels reaching valley floors over northern California.
A foot or two of snow will fall in parts of the Cascades of Washington and Oregon. In the mountains of California, hourly snowfall rates could reach 6 to 8 inches. Snow accumulations between 2 feet (valley floors) and locally 12 feet (ridge tops) will bury the Sierra by the end of the weekend. White-out, blizzard conditions will make any travel through the Siskiyou and Sierra Mountains deadly.
Damagingly strong wind gusts will continue over California especially in the vicinity of a dtrong cold front, ranging from between 50 and 70 mph at the lowest elevations to as high as between 150 and 200 mph at the ridge tops of the Sierra. Strong and damaging winds will also impact western Washington and most of Oregon, where winds could gust over 60 mph.
Swells along the Washington, Oregon and northern California coasts will peak between 30 and 35 feet overnight and high surf warnings have been issued. Snow and damaging winds will increase through interior parts of the West this weekend, impacting Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, and the Colorado Rockies. Several feet of snow could fall at the higher elevations with wind gusts to over 80 mph.
Heavy rain may reach into the Desert Southwest this weekend, including the Las Vegas area and the lower Colorado River Valley. Rain and mountain snow will also increase over parts of Arizona and New Mexico.