A look at the NWS site for California shows a potential nightmare in progress, or about to happen.
Any rainfall that occurs in areas already with snow on the ground is only going to increase the problems.
High winds, "chaotic" seas, massive rainfall and record snow forecast for areas of Northern Cal and Oregon. Sandy got all the attention. Not much on this storm.

I can't believe that there isn't a bigger response to this storm, by people who live in the affected areas. This is the only thread that touches on the storm, and then only on the snow.