Thousands of people were evacuated and power was knocked out to tens of thousands of homes as the water washed over sections of California's wine country.
A garbage collector was killed Monday in Monterey County when a tree toppled onto his truck, crushing the cab.
"This has the potential to be a full-blown natural disaster,'' said meteorologist Steve Newman.
Rainfall slowed over much of the northern half of the state as the storm moved toward Southern California, where flooding last week caused millions of dollars worth of damage. However, more storms were on the way off the Pacific, and forecasters said they saw no real break in the rain all week.
Southwestern Oregon was pounded Monday with more than 13 centimeters of rain in some remote mountain regions and a highway worker was killed shortly before noon when a tree fell on the pickup truck he was driving toward the Mount Ashland ski resort, Oregon State Police said.
In California, it was the worst flooding in the hilly, wooded region since the Valentine's Day flood of 1986, which followed nine days of rain.
Governor Pete Wilson declared a state of emergency for Sonoma, Lake and Tehama, making them eligible for financial aid. Members of the California National Guard were deployed to aid with evacuations and rescue efforts.
Strong wind toppled trees all over the area, and gusts closed two of San Francisco International Airport's four runways. Delays of up to two hours were reported on domestic flights and many international flights were canceled.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.