Evacuation orders lifted as major storm slams California with rain, snow and travel disruptions into Saturday

A powerful storm will unleash drought-easing, but travel-disrupting rain and mountain snow across California into Saturday.

Ahead of the storm, Sheriff Bill Brown issued mandatory evacuation orders that could affect as many as 30,000 people in Carpinteria, Montecito, parts of Goleta and the Gaviota Coast. In early January, deadly mudslides caused major damage to homes and shut down travel in the town of Montecito.

However, those orders were later lifted Friday morning, according to county officials.

"The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, in consultation with fire agencies and other public safety officials, has announced that effective at 9 a.m. today, March 2, Mandatory Evacuation Orders are lifted for all areas," officials said.

The storm's moisture reached Northern and central California on Wednesday night and Thursday. San Francisco and Sacramento have picked up over an inch of rain since midweek.

Precipitation will continue to stream across the state, including the Los Angeles and San Diego areas, into the first part of the weekend.

Both lanes of Topanga Canyon Boulevard were closed due to a mud and rock slide in the area, amid the stormy weather on Friday.

Portions of Interstate 5 and other major highways may be slower than normal due to downpours reducing visibility and causing excess of water on the roads.

A few heavier showers across the state could even contain small hail.

On Thursday night, one person in Loleta, California, was injured after a vehicle spin out on a hail-covered road.

Much of the rain will be welcome across the state, which has dealt with an abnormally dry winter, worsening drought and renewed fears of a low water supply in the coming months.

However, too much rain may fall too quickly and over terrain left barren by last year’s wildfires to induce localized flooding. Motorists should be vigilant for high water on roads.

Heavy snow will snarl travel over the Sierra Nevada, including over Donner Pass. Gusty winds will create near-whiteout conditions at times.

The snow may fall at a fast enough pace for crews to struggle to keep the roads clear.

The heavy snow forced a portion of Interstate 80 to be closed for a time in California on Thursday. Additional closures and delays are expected as more heavy snow sweeps across the Sierra through Friday night.

"By the end of this week, there may be a fresh 4-8 feet of snow on the ground over the high country of the Sierra Nevada," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Ken Clark said.

The abnormally low snowpack over the mountain range will get a significant boost.

While showery weather will persist across the state on Saturday, drier air is forecast to sweep in by the time the weekend comes to a close.

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