California storm predicted to bring ‘historic’ amount of rainfall

Forecasters have warned an incoming storm could bring record-breaking amounts of rain to northern California. Picture: Sherry LaVars/Marin Independent Journal via AP

Forecasters have predicted that a powerful storm which roared ashore in northern California, flooding highways, toppling trees and causing mud flows in areas burned bare by recent fires, could bring record-breaking rainfall.

Drenching rain and strong winds accompanied the arrival of an atmospheric river — a long and wide plume of moisture pulled in from the Pacific Ocean that was predicted to move south over the next few days.