Southern California braces as powerful winter storms threaten up to 8in of rain

Governor declared emergency in several counties, with near white-out snow conditions in parts of the Sierra Nevada

A powerful winter storm swept across California on Wednesday, with heavy rain and gusty winds leading to evacuation warnings for mudslides in parts of the southern part of the state, bringing near white-out snow conditions in the mountains and hazardous travel for millions of holiday drivers.

California's governor, Gavin Newsom, declared a state of emergency in several counties, including Los Angeles.