Winter storms on both coasts wreak havoc for travelers as flights are canceled days before Christmas

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Winter storms on both coasts are threatening to wreak havoc on holiday travel after hundreds of flights across the US have been canceled this morning.

Roughly 122 million Americans are expected to travel this Christmas and New Year's as severe rain and strong winds on the West Coast, as well as wicked snow on the East Coast, threaten their holiday plans.

Travelers are already facing chaos at the airports Monday after more than 350 flights were canceled and 700 delayed nationwide by 8am.

The delays come after a downpour of heavy rain and flash flooding soaked roads in northern California and the Pacific Northwest over the weekend, leading to water rescues from vehicles and homes.

At least one person died in Redding, about 160 miles north of Sacramento, overnight after heavy rains pelted the region with nearly 10 inches of water in just 24 hours.

The National Weather Service has warned that a series of warm atmospheric rivers would bring more moderate to heavy rain to the Valley, foothills and mountains the week of Christmas.

A clipper storm and cold air is also expected to bring snow and ice to the Northeast and Midwest this week, with Tuesday forecast to be the worst day for weather-related disruptions.

Travelers in the Pocono Mountains area of Pennsylvania, upstate New York and central and northern New England will be hardest hit by storms and disruptions Tuesday, according to Accuweather meteorologists.

Heavy snow covered roads in Haddonfield, New Jersey over the weekend, with some areas across the state being hit with as much as six inches

Heavy rain soaked the Pacific Northwest on Thursday leading to flooding and evacuations across Portland, Oregon

Historic flooding closed roads across the greater Seattle area over the weekend after heavy storms pelted Washington state

At least one person died in Redding, about 160 miles north of Sacramento, overnight after heavy rains pelted northern California with nearly 10 inches of water in just 24 hours

Flights have been halted at San Francisco International Airport, with delays and cancellations also expected to impacted airports in Los Angeles and Sacramento. 

There were around 40 flooding incidents and 17 landslides recorded across Northern California during the 24 hours that heavy storms pelted the region, the Weather Channel reported, citing figures from local officials. 

Millions of people across the state remain under flood watches Monday as more rains are predicted to hit the area throughout the day and into Tuesday.

Police in Redding, home to about 93,000 people, received numerous calls for stranded motorists on Sunday who tried to drive through flooded areas.

Mayor Mike Littau confirmed one fatality in the city. He did not provide further information. 

The Humboldt County Sheriff's Office deployed rescue teams to help residents escape flooded homes on Sunday, while nearby Placer County issued evacuation warnings due to rising water levels.

Roughly 122 million Americans are expected to travel this Christmas and New Year's. But severe rain and strong winds on the west coast, and wicked snow on the east coast, is threatening their holiday travel plans

California is expected to be hardest hit with delays this week as powerful atmospheric rivers threaten to bring another round of storms again on Christmas day, continuing into Friday

Travelers are already facing chaos at the airports Monday after more than 350 flights were canceled and 700 delayed nationwide by 8am. Pictured are long security queues an airport checkpoint in San Francisco over the weekend

In the mountain pass area of Donner Summit, firefighters in Truckee extended a ladder to stranded residents at a house along the South Yuba River. No injuries were reported.

Authorities helped stranded motorists who tried to drive through flooded streets. Some drivers were even forced to abandon their cars in the rising waters. 

Law enforcement are urging motorists to stay off the roads and follow detour signs as roadway conditions continue to change rapidly.

First responders have prepared emergency resources as forecasters predict a strong storm system bringing rain, wind and floods to roll through Tuesday night and into Christmas Eve.

Another round of storms is expected to hit California again on Christmas and continue into Friday. 

The storms come after warm weather and air and unusual weather conditions tracing back as far as tropical cyclone flooding in Indonesia helped supercharge stubborn atmospheric rivers earlier this month.

December's atmospheric rivers - or long, narrow bands of water vapor that form over an ocean and flow through the sky - drenched Washington state with nearly 5 trillion gallons of rain in a week, threatening record flood levels.

Public works crews in New Jersey were busy staying on top of the roads as several inches of snow fell throughout the state this past weekend

Children are seen playing in the snow that pelted New Jersey over the weekend

Heavy rain soaked the Pacific Northwest last Thursday, making roadways hazardous and impassable

Meanwhile, the Midwest is bracing for light snow and freezing rain on Monday, with forecasters warning of slick and icy roads in the Great Lakes region.

The storm system is expected to bring similar conditions to Pennsylvania and New England on Tuesday, likely bringing major delays at airports in cities such as Boston and New York.

Forecasters predict another round of snow to brush the east on Christmas day, while freezing rain is expected in the Midwest overnight.

The wintry mix of precipitation and strong winds is expected to continue into the weekend as a storm system moves eastbound from the Great Lakes region. 

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