The first wave of the strongest storm of the winter began hitting Southern California on Wednesday, but the most damaging rains are expected Thursday.

A storm is expected to bring significant rainfall to Southern California, which could lead to the elevated risk of flash flooding and mudslides in the burn scar areas from last month's wildfires.

Heavy snow and freezing rain caused hundreds of traffic crashes in Virginia and left tens of thousands of residents in the dark as the central Appalachians and parts of the mid-Atlantic states braced for heavy rains on Wednesday.