California declares state of emergency as major storm hit western US coast

The governor of the state of California declared a state of emergency as a major storm hit the western US coast.

The powerful bomb cyclone, a type of explosive storm, lashed into the state with heavy downpours and strong winds, damaging life and property. With its landfall, the low-pressure storm system caused heavy rainfall and snow over much of California and into southern



Oregon. Central California experienced hurricane level wind gusts by Wednesday evening as the storm’s heaviest rain and strongest winds slammed into the Bay Area. 

More than 40 million people were under wind alerts. As the storm battered the region, about 180,000 homes and businesses in California were left without power.