Officials in California distributed sandbags, prepositioned rescue swimmers and told residents to have their go-bags ready as the state prepares for an atmospheric river that could bring heavy rain, winds and flooding Thursday to areas ravaged by wildfires.

Heavy snow and freezing rain caused hundreds of crashes in Virginia and left tens of thousands of residents in the dark as the central Appalachians and parts of the mid-Atlantic states are bracing for heavy rains.

Cayuga County: A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect until 4 a.m. Thursday for mixed precipitation, followed by a Lake Effect Snow Warning from 4 p.m. Thursday through early Saturday. Snowfall totals could exceed a foot in the most persistent bands, with strong winds reducing visibility.

Snow, sleet and freezing rain were expected to continue pummeling the central Appalachians and mid-Atlantic states Wednesday, while California readied for a storm that could flood areas ravaged by the recent wildfires.

Heavy snow and freezing rain caused hundreds of traffic crashes in Virginia and left tens of thousands of residents in the dark as the central Appalachians and parts of the

Wind, snow and even freezing rain is on the way to the region on Thursday.With nasty weather, comes the risk of power outages.Pacific Power said it is expecting