Hurricane Hilary brought heavy rain, landslides, and gusting winds to Baja California
AFP

KEY POINTS

  • A potent storm and high-end atmospheric river continued pushing inland Sunday
  • Residents were warned of the threat to lives, property and travel
  • Roughly 94% of California's population is at risk for flooding, Accuweather meteorologists warned

California is being pounded by intense downpours as a fierce winter storm puts millions of residents at risk of life-threatening floods.

An intense, long-lasting atmospheric river began moving into California on Sunday, leaving about 800,000 customers without power in the state, according to tracking website PowerOutage.us.

Residents were warned of the threat to lives, property and travel as a potent storm and high-end atmospheric river was expected to continue pushing inland Sunday just days after a storm and low-end atmospheric river hit the state from Wednesday to Thursday.

"Roughly 94% of California's population, up to 37 million people, is at risk for flooding, some of which can be life-threatening. Due to the numerous mountains and hills, even just a few inches of rain can cause significant flooding," AccuWeather Senior Director of Forecasting Operations Dan DePodwin stated.

"The greatest risk of a widespread flooding disaster is expected across the canyons and hills of Southern California, especially in Ventura, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles counties," DePodwin added.

Evacuation orders were in effect Sunday night as the powerful storm struck Southern and Central California with heavy rainfall.

The worst of the storm is expected to go on till Tuesday. Forecasts reveal that parts of the Los Angeles area may receive almost half a year's worth of rain by Tuesday.

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