Rescue workers using boats Wednesday evacuated at least 30 Northern California farmland residents trapped in flooded homes and normally rainy Portland, Oregon was slammed with a rare foot of snow as a powerful storm system battered five western U.S. states. The flooding in Northern California happened when water rushed into more than two dozen homes in San Benito County after a creek overflowed, KTVU ( http://bit.ly/2j1qSit ) reported. The massive rain and snowfall that prompted a rare blizzard warning in parts of the Sierra is helping much of Northern California recover from a six-year drought. While the heaviest downpours have moved through Northern California, and rivers are expected to recede throughout the day, the risk of flooding remains from runoff and bouts of showers. Near Sacramento, a small tornado tore tree limbs and ripped awnings late Tuesday, National Weather Service meteorologist David Rowe said.

Source: ABC News January 11, 2017 08:57 UTC