Northern California is experiencing record rain and heavy snowfall. Many people in Seattle have been in the dark for days

FORESTVILLE, Calif. (AP) — A big storm Heavy snow and record rain continued to fall as it moved through Northern California on Friday, closing roads and prompting evacuations in some areas, after killing two people and knocking out power to hundreds of thousands in the Pacific Northwest.

Forecasters warned there would remain a risk of flash floods and rockslides, and several flights were canceled at San Francisco airport.

In Washington state, more than 185,000 people were without power, mostly in the Seattle area, as crews worked to clear streets of power lines, fallen branches and debris. Utility officials said the outages, which began Tuesday, could last through Saturday. The National Weather Service warned that in addition to high winds, a high surf warning was in effect Friday for large ocean waves of 20 to 24 feet (6 to 7.3 meters) that could cause significant beach erosion.

Meanwhile, on the East Coast, where rare wildfires are raging, New York and New Jersey welcomed much-needed rain that could ease the fire danger for the rest of the year.

The National Weather Service has extended a flood watch for areas north of San Francisco through Saturday as the area remains under the strongest water this season atmospheric river A long cloud of moisture that forms over the ocean and flows over land into the sky.

Flooding and road closures were reported in the North Bay, and the weather service warned residents that commute disruptions could occur in the morning and afternoon Friday. Rain rates are increasing and shifting southward across the San Francisco Peninsula toward the Santa Cruz Mountains, with rain gauges showing 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 centimeters) so far, the weather service said early Friday.

In Humboldt County, the sheriff’s office issued evacuation orders and warnings and urged residents to be prepared for the storm’s impacts throughout the week. Highway 1, also known as the Pacific Coast Highway in Mendocino County north of Point Arena near the Garcia River, was closed due to flooding and there was no estimate of when it would reopen, according to the California Department of Transportation.

The system made landfall on Tuesday: bomb cycloneIt occurs when a tornado intensifies rapidly. IT strong winds unleashed The incident, which caused trees to fall on roads, vehicles and houses, killed at least two people in Washington.

Communities in Washington have opened warming centers offering free internet and device charging. Some clinics were closed due to power outage.

“I’ve been here since the mid-80s. I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Issaquah city commissioner Trish Bloor as she inspected damaged homes.

Up to 16 inches (about 41 centimeters) of rain was expected in southwestern Oregon and California’s northern counties by Friday.

Santa Rosa saw 6.5 inches (16.5 centimeters) of rain in the last 24 hours, making it the wettest day on record since 1998.

The Sonoma County Airport in wine country north of San Francisco gained more than 11 inches (28 centimeters) in the past 48 hours, and the unincorporated town of Venado had nearly 12.7 inches (32.3 centimeters) during the same period.

Authorities have warned that flash floods, rockslides and debris flows are possible, especially in places where slopes have loosened due to recent forest fires. So far, the ground has been able to absorb rain in areas where the Park Fire burned this summer, said Scott Rowe, a hydrologist with the weather service in Sacramento.

“It doesn’t matter how much rain falls; it’s how fast the rain falls,” Rowe said.

A winter storm watch was in place for the northern Sierra Nevada above 3,500 feet (1,070 meters), with 15 inches (38 centimeters) of snow possible over two days. Forecasters said winds could gust up to 75 miles (121 kilometers) per hour in mountainous areas.

More than 12,000 power outages were reported in California.

Authorities limited vehicle traffic on the northbound portion of Interstate 5 between Redding and Yreka due to snow, according to the California Department of Transportation. Authorities also closed a 2-mile (3.2-kilometer) section of the scenic Boulevard of the Giants, named for the towering coast redwoods, due to flooding.

More than 40 flights were delayed and about 12 canceled at San Francisco International Airport early Friday, according to tracking service FlightAware.

The Northeast, meanwhile, received much-needed rainfall and provided some respite in a region grappling with wildfires and dwindling water supplies. More than 2 inches (5 centimeters) of rain was expected Saturday morning north of New York City, with sleet expected in higher elevations.

Brian Ciemnecki, a meteorologist with the weather service in New York City, who received the first drought warning in 22 years this week, said “there will be significant rainfall” but the storm will not be enough to end the drought.

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Har reported from San Francisco and Weber from Los Angeles. Associated Press writers Hallie Golden and Gene Johnson in Seattle; Martha Bellisle in Issaquah, Washington; Sarah Brumfield in Washington DC; and Michael Hill in Albany, New York, contributed.

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