What forecasters are calling one of the biggest storms of the winter hit Northern California early Wednesday.
The storm brought heavy rain and high winds to the Central Valley, and was expected to dump several feet of new snow in the Sierra.
In Sacramento, the high winds brought down trees and left streets littered with fallen limbs and debris.
In the downtown area, a large tree fell onto a home on 15th Street between E and F streets.
A woman who had lived in the home for 50 years was inside when the tree came down. She was trapped until neighbors came to her rescue and escaped with only minor injuries.
Utility crews shut down power and gas in the area and authorities evacuated surrounding homes for fear that some of the other large, older trees on the block could also come down.
Tree limbs were reported down at several other locations around the downtown and midtown area, and the Sacramento Police Department urged drivers to use extreme caution the area.
The rain and high winds also made for dangerous conditions on area freeways.
According to the California Highway Patrol, the driver of an empty big rig lost control on eastbound Interstate 80 near UC Davis. The truck ended up flipped over in the center divide.
No injuries were reported, but the CHP said they have not been able to locate the driver.
CHP officials also reported that there were several other crashes involving big rigs on Northern California roadways Wednesday morning and warned drivers to slow down.
Authorities also reported power lines down in the midtown Sacramento area and falling power poles along Roseville Road between Marconi Avenue and Longview Drive in the north area.
Regional Transit officials said light rail service was interrupted from Alkalai Flat to 29th Street in the downtown area because of the storm.
Wind gusts of more than 60 mph were reported in Yolo County near the Yolo Bypass.
Some truck drivers chose to pull over and wait out the storm instead of crossing the causeway on Interstate 5.
"This wind, it sneaks up on you because it's gusty. You're alright for a few minutes and then all of a sudden it'll hit you hard. It had me rockin' pretty good ... it scared me," truck driver John Robertson said.
A small river and stream flood watch is in effect through Thursday for the Sacramento Valley, the Delta, the southern San Joaquin Valley, the surrounding foothills and Lake County.
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