Rain and snow pummel Northern California in latest wave of damaging weather to strike West Coast

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (AP) — A major storm pummeled Northern California with rain and snow on Wednesday night and threatened to cause flash flooding and rockslides in the latest wave of damaging weather to wash over the West Coast.

The National Weather Service extended a flood watch into Saturday for areas north of San Francisco as the strongest atmospheric river — a large plume of moisture flowing onshore — that California and the Pacific Northwest has seen this season inundated the region. The storm system unleashed winds the night before that left two people dead and hundreds of thousands without power in Washington state.

Up to 16 inches of rain (about 41 centimeters) was forecast in Northern California and southwestern Oregon through Friday. By Wednesday evening, some areas in Northern California had experienced heavy rain, including Santa Rosa, which had seen about 5 inches (about 13 centimeters) within 24 hours, according to Marc Chenard, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Dangerous flash flooding, rockslides and debris flows were possible, officials warned. About a dozen small landslides had struck in northern California in the last 24 hours, including one on Highway 281 on Wednesday morning that caused a vehicle crash, said Chenard.

The National Weather Service in the Bay Area warned people that the atmospheric river was focused on the North Bay and to “expect heavy rain to continue tonight, Thursday into Friday. This will result in mudslides, road closures.”

The storm system, which first hit Tuesday, is considered a “ bomb cyclone,” which occurs when a cyclone intensifies rapidly.

A winter storm watch was in place for the northern Sierra Nevada above 3,500 feet (1,066 meters), where 15 inches (38 centimeters) of snow was possible over two days. Wind gusts could top 75 mph (121 kph) in mountain areas, forecasters said.

The storm had already dumped more than a foot of snow along the Cascades by Wednesday evening, according to the National Weather Service. Forecasters warned of blizzard and whiteout conditions and near impossible travel at pass level.

In Washington, there were nearly 376,000 power outage reports Wednesday evening, resulting from strong winds and rain the night before, according to poweroutage.us. Falling trees struck homes and littered roads across western Washington, killing at least two people. One woman in Lynnwood was killed when a large tree fell on a homeless encampment, while another woman in Bellevue was killed when a tree fell on a home.

More than a dozen schools were closed in the Seattle area Wednesday and some opted to extend those closures through Thursday.

In California, there were reports of nearly 21,000 power outages as of Wednesday evening.

Southbound Interstate 5 was closed for an 11-mile (18-kilometer) stretch from Ashland, Oregon, to the California border on Wednesday morning due to extreme winter weather conditions in northern California, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation. It was expected to be a long-term closure, the department said.

Hundreds of flights were delayed and dozens were canceled at the San Francisco International Airport, according to Flight Aware.

The weather service issued a flood watch for parts of southwestern Oregon through Friday evening, while rough winds and seas temporarily halted a ferry route in northwestern Washington between Port Townsend and Coupeville.

Golden reported from Seattle.

The drive-thru area of a Taco Bell restaurant is damaged by a fallen tree Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in Issaquah, Wash., after a "bomb cyclone'"storm brought high winds to the area. (AP Photo/Manuel Valdes)

A woman was killed after a tree fell on her home during Tuesday night's "bomb cyclone" in severe weather in Bellevue, Wash. (Nick Wagner/The Seattle Times via AP)

People walk their dog as cars maneuver around downed power lines and trees caused by a "bomb cyclone" storm, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in Bellevue, Wash. (Nick Wagner/The Seattle Times via AP)

People carrying umbrellas while visiting the Golden Gate Bridge are seen through a heart on the window at the Round House Cafe in San Francisco, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

A pedestrian carrying an umbrella walks in front of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Motorists negotiate the snow along I-80 during a storm Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in Truckee, Calif. (AP Photo/Brooke Hess-Homeier)

Truckers hole up along the side of I-5 to let the storm pass before the highway is reopened in Weed, Calif., Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Truck driver Kirill Foken shovels a trench alongside his truck's tires to free it up as he awaits for I-5 to reopen in Weed, Calif., Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Truck driver Harry Singh of Seattle looks down Shastina Drive where several dozen big rigs were gathered after being stuck overnight in Weed, Calif., Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

A Pacific Gas & Electric worker pauses while sawing a tree that toppled into power lines during heavy rains on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in the Occidental community of unincorporated Sonoma County, Calif. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Firefighters help a woman from a home after a tree toppled onto it during heavy rains on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in the Forest Hills community of unincorporated Sonoma County, Calif. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

A truck crosses a flooded road Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in Santa Rosa, Calif. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Geno Auriemma soaked in the moment. UConn's Hall of Fame coach now stands alone atop the NCAA basketball wins list.

Auriemma broke a tie with former Stanford women's coach Tara VanDerveer, earning his 1,217th career victory with an 85-41 win over Fairleigh Dickinson on Wednesday night.

“We never sat down and said hey, let's make a 40-year plan and see if we can make this happen," Auriemma said. “It's about coming here every day and trying to be better than we were yesterday.”

He has spent four decades building UConn into the standard for women’s college basketball. The school celebrated those 40 years Wednesday night.

“I know it means a lot to a lot of people here at UConn that worked really, really hard to make it possible,” Auriemma said. “You saw all the players here, means a lot to them. Every single person that had a hand in all this, means a lot to them to be a part of it, want to share in it. I'm sure when the season's over I'll be able to look back on it and think about it.”

Surrounded by the greatest players in UConn history, including Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Maya Moore and Rebecca Lobo, Auriemma and longtime assistant Chris Dailey took in the incredible achievement in a postgame ceremony.

“It's not very often in life you get to experience something that's never been done before and that you get to experience something that will never be done again,” Lobo said.

More than 60 alums of the program were in attendance. Nearly two dozen of them played in the WNBA. The former UConn players were part of the record 11 national championships that the school has won. UConn has reached the Final Four 23 times, including in 15 of the past 16 seasons.

Before the game, the school presented the pair with ruby colored glass basketballs in honor of their 40 years at UConn. It was a day of celebrations for Auriemma and Dailey. There was a petting zoo with, fittingly, goats across from the arena as well as ice cream from the famous UConn Dairy Barn. They created a flavor “Legend-Berry Legacy” in honor of the two coaches.

The ceremony ended with a goat coming out on the red carpet and Auriemma taking a photo with it. He later said that he scratched himself while petting it.

Auriemma and Dailey received ladders from Nike and Connecticut governor Ned Lamont presented a sign that said “Welcome to Connecticut, home of the winningest coach in basketball history.”

His current team presented Auriemma with a framed jersey with the number 1,217 on it. The student section, during the final minute of the game, held up cards that spelled out 1,217.

“He gives credit to everybody around him, and he doesn’t really take it for himself,” Huskies star Paige Bueckers said. “But what he’s built here, it’s here because of him, so he definitely downplays it. He doesn’t want to do the whole thing: the celebration, the goats, the ice cream, it’s all extra to him. But he deserves it, and we want to celebrate him, because he doesn’t celebrate himself a lot. So everyone around him will make sure they do that job.”

Auriemma began his journey with UConn in 1985 and currently is 1,217-162 in his career. He has only had one losing season in his career — his first one with the Huskies. Before he came to the school from Virginia, the program had only one winning season.

VanDerveer offered her congratulations to Auriemma after the game.

“This is yet another outstanding milestone in a career filled with them for Geno Auriemma. The level of success he has maintained at UConn over four decades will never be duplicated,” she said in a statement. “But his tremendous legacy extends far beyond any number of wins. It lives in the lives of the countless young women he has positively influenced throughout his career. Congratulations to Geno and Chris on this incredible accomplishment.”

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Former UConn player Maya Moore Irons addresses the audience and UConn head coach Geno Auriemma during a post game ceremony for the most wins in college basketball history, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in Storrs, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma poses for a photograph with his players past and present and coaches as he is honored for the most wins in college basketball history, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in Storrs, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma smiles as he is honored for the most wins in college basketball history, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in Storrs, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma, center, stands with associate head coach Chris Dailey, left, and former players Diana Taurasi, second from left, and Maya Moore Irons, right, after defeating Fairleigh Dickinson to surpass Tara VanDerveer for the most wins in college basketball history, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in Storrs, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma poses for a photograph with his players past and present and coaches as he is honored for the most wins in college basketball history, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in Storrs, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma holds a jersey presented to him by players Paige Bueckers, left, Caroline Ducharme, and Azzi Fudd, right, as he is honored for the most wins in college basketball history, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in Storrs, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma reacts as former player Diana Taurasi speaks as he is honored for the most wins in college basketball history, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in Storrs, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)