1 Dead From Northern California Storm

A late winter storm that brought heavy rain and winds to Central and Northern California has led to at least one fatality and threatens to flood a popular beach boardwalk.

The California Highway Patrol says one person was killed after two vehicles crashed into a tree that came down on a highway in Oakland early Thursday morning.

In Santa Cruz County, the rain brought the San Lorenzo River dangerously close to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. It already has ripped apart a wooden staircase that goes down to the beach, causing several thousand dollars in damage.

The National Weather Service says another storm arrives late Friday. It will continue through Saturday and bring colder air that could dump more than a foot of snow in the Sierra at higher elevations.

That same storm will head to Southern California, bringing cooler temperatures and heavy rain to the region, including the Coachella Valley.