Pity the UK air passengers who have finally escaped the Big Freeze in Europe to head for a sunny Californian Christmas.
The Golden State has been battered by storms this week which has caused governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to declare a state of emergency for six counties.
Rain has lashed the normally drought-affected US state, with flash flooding and knocked out power lines adding to the chaos while massive snow dumps have all but buried some ski resorts.
USA Today reports that six inches of rain has fallen on downtown Los Angeles since Friday – which is more than a third of the city’s annual rainfall.
The popular Pacific Coast Highway was partly closed north of the city after slushy hillslides sent rocks cascading onto the road and Mammoth Mountain ski resort saw 13 feet of snow.
The good news for Brits travelling travelling to the west coast, however, is that the storm is predicted to move inland within 24 hours.
by Dinah Hatch
