California Storm: Updates, Strongest In 5 Years Causes Power Outage, Flooding, Severe Damage, Ends Drought But Won't Restore Reservoirs? [PHOTOS + VIDEO]

The powerful California storm that struck its Northern region Thursday is has caused power outages to to tens of thousands, as well as soaked the region with much-needed rain, albeit flooding, reports the Associated Press. While the California storm may have ended the most intense drought California has seen, it is reportedly not enough to restore the state's reservoirs.

Apart from California, the monster storm is also battering Oregon and Washington with extremely high winds, as well as flooding in many areas. Rainfall is also expected to eventually bring blizzard conditions to the Sierra Nevada.

The National Weather Service in Monterey, California was correct in its prediction earlier this week that the California storm is the strongest to hit in 5 years

The service said it is "expected to be one of the strongest storms in terms of wind and rain intensity" since the October 2009 and January 2008 storms, the Weather Channel reports.

The moisture-packed California storm, though technically known as an atmospheric river, has been dubbed the "Pineapple Express" due to its Hawaiian origins.

This California storm, blowing southward down the coast, was described as unusual not only for its force, but for its warmth. San Francisco usually experienced a balmy 60 degrees, about 5 degrees above average for this time of year; therefore many took the California storm in stride.

Extreme rain soaked winds from the California storm brought havoc with it with downed trees and disruption of schools and traffic in the Bay Area.

In the same area, waves also slammed onto waterfronts, ferries had to be bound to their docks and intense winds had motorists holding tightly steering wheels on the Golden Gate Bridge.

In Lake Tahoe, the California storm also reportedly produced waves towering as high as 7 feet.

Because of the California storm, there had been a single flooded substation in San Francisco. Pacific Gas & Electric reported more than 80,000 outages. However, blackouts were much more widespread, with 226,800 customers were without power.

An online map from the utility showed thousands of square miles without lights, from Humboldt near the Oregon border to Big Sur on the Central Coast.

"It's a two-pronged punch -- it's wind and rain. Once the ground gets saturated and the winds are howling, there's a bigger chance of trees going down on power lines," said National Weather Service forecaster Diana Henderson in Monterey.

Fortunately, there had been no initial reports of serious injuries or fatalities despite reports of multiple accidents on flooded roads with the California storm.

The California storm also prompted hundreds of schools in California to close for the day. More than 100,000 students remained indoors while others struggled to get around through the rain soaked regions.

Commuters struggled to reach work. Carrying around 400,000 riders daily through tunnels under the bay to the region's urban capital, most trains became delayed on the Bay Area Rapid Transit system.

Flooding from the powerful California storm also closed the San Bruno station south of San Francisco. A power outage also closed the busy Montgomery station downtown.

Ferries were forced to stop running as precaution as well. Tourists were kept from visiting Alcatraz Island, but others still crossed the San Francisco Bay despite waves going up the rails and rocking boats.

Many flights at San Francisco International Airport were had also been delayed or canceled.

Surfers welcomed the California storm forecast bringing big waves with swells of up to 15 feet. In the northern Sierra Nevada, ski resorts were hoping for more than 2 feet of snow.

The California storm still rattled many people however. Forecasters warned the impact could get worse. Mudslides were still reported possible, especially areas affected by the year's wildfires. With as much as 8 inches of rain falling, rivers and creeks were rising quickly.

In California's agricultural core, farmers needed the rush of water that came with the California storm in order to make up for the severe drought in the last three consecutive dry years. However, though this year's above-average rainfall had been welcome, the California storm now reportedly isn't enough to restore reservoirs to normal levels.

In Nevada and Idaho, Arizona and New Mexico, rain and snow is possible, but according to forecasters, nothing like what California is seeing with the California storm.

According to ABC News, Californians aren't the only ones facing extreme weather. Parts of Interstate 81 in upstate New York had been closed down due to a massive snowfall this week. On Wednesday, more than two feet fell in the area and an additional 4 to 8 inches is expected today.

Below are the latest updates on the California storm from various news sources around the region as well as the public: