strong winds, heavy rains and snow prompted evacuations ....Californians

A man carries an umbrella that has been turned inside-out by strong wind in San Francisco, California January 4, 2008. A fierce storm swept into central and northern California on Friday, cutting power to more than 1 million homes and businesses, closing a major San Francisco area bridge and canceling flights at several airports, utility and state officials said.


Surfers Sean Santana (R) and Justin Seeple watch waves break beneath the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California January 5, 2008. Californians braced for another round of fierce weather on Saturday, a day after strong winds, heavy rains and snow prompted evacuations and left more than one million homes without electricity, while residents were warned of high surf and potential coastal flooding.

A couple takes in the view of the San Francisco, California skyline January 7, 2008. Californians mopped up on Monday from a series of weekend storms that cut power to nearly 3 million homes and businesses and prompted Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to declare a state of emergency in several counties.