Calif. storm: 2nd atmospheric river in days knocks out power [Video]

LOS ANGELES –

The second of back-to-back atmospheric rivers battered California on Sunday, flooding roadways and knocking out power to nearly 850,000 people and prompting a rare warning for hurricane-force winds as the state braced for what could be days of heavy rains.

The storm inundated streets and brought down trees and electrical lines across the San Francisco Bay Area, where winds topped 96 km/h in some areas. Gusts exceeding 128 km/h were recorded in the mountains.

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Just to the south in San Jose, emergency crews pulled occupants out of the windows of a car stranded by floodwaters and rescued people from a homeless encampment alongside a rising river.

In Southern California, officials warned of potentially devastating flooding and ordered evacuations for canyons that burned in recent wildfires that are at high risk for mud and debris flows. …