California Pounded by Fiercest Storm in 5 Years

— -- Extremely high rain soaked winds wrecked havoc by downing trees and disrupting schools and traffic in the Bay Area, and in Lake Tahoe produced waves that towered as much as 7 feet high.

The Placer County Sheriff's Office posted a series of photos of daredevil surfers riding waves on the typically placid Lake Tahoe.

The storm prompted hundreds of schools in California to close today and they weren't the only ones to take precautions as ferries stopped running. Some mass transit was ground to a halt as the Bay Area braced for the "Pineapple Express."

The moisture-packed storm, which is technically known as an atmospheric river, has been dubbed the "Pineapple Express" because of its Hawaiian origins.

More than 100,000 students stayed home, and others struggled to get around through the blustery and rain soaked area.

With wind gusts expected to hit 30 to 50 miles per hour, some folks in Sacramento took precautions, by taking down their holiday decorations.

Tens of thousands of people lost power on Wednesday as gusts of up to 63 miles per hour hit the Seattle area, and more than 100,000 lost power today in the Bay area.

Californians aren't the only ones facing Mother Nature's dark side today as parts of Interstate 81 in upstate New York is closed due to a massive snowfall.

More than two feet fell in the area on Wednesday and an additional 4 to 8 inches are expected today.