The Latest: Massive storm soaking California

SAN FRANCISCO – The Latest on a massive storm soaking California (all times local):

5:50 p.m.

A rainstorm lashing Northern California has forced the cancellation of more than 100 flights at San Francisco International Airport.

Airport duty manager Brian Horne says another 360 flights have been delayed Thursday, from a few minutes to several hours.

That’s because planes need more separation in bad weather so they don’t have to circle the airport to land.

The storm, which dumped nearly seven inches of rain in 24 hours in the North Bay town of Venado, has prompted flash-flood watches and warnings up and down the state.

Many northern areas have seen 2 to 4 inches of rain in the past 24 hours, with 5 to nearly 7 inches in some areas of the Sierra Nevadas.

San Francisco has received more than an inch of rain.

The storm is moving south and began drizzling on Southern California Thursday evening.

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7 a.m.

Forecasters say one of the strongest rainstorms of the season will hit the San Francisco Bay Area Thursday, bringing high tides and strong wind gusts that could snarl commutes and cause problems throughout the region.

The storm could soak the region with as much as 2 inches of rain throughout the day in San Francisco and the East Bay. Double that amount is expected in parts of the South and North Bay.

Flash flood warnings are in effect for the Santa Cruz Mountains. Winds could hit 50 miles an hour in some parts of the Bay Area.

Forecasters say the rain and high winds will go along with king tides that are expected to exceed 7 feet around noon Thursday.

Trees dried by drought could be downed by the wind and the rain, leading to possible power outages. Southern California will get a soaking later Thursday.