At least two storms have begun battering the West Coast, from Washington State to Southern California. The first storm brought up to two inches of rain in some areas Thursday, and the second storm was to bring more intense weather Friday, according to the U.S. National Weather Service.

“Behind the (first) front, a yet even stronger storm is developing,” the weather service’s San Francisco office wrote on its Web site. “The strong winds currently ongoing will remain and actually increase to high wind warning levels, or 25 to 45 mph with gusts to 60 mph.”

A high-surf advisory is in effect until 10 a.m. Jan. 6, with possible swells of 28 feet this weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

In the Sierra Nevada, winds could hit 100 miles per hour today and snowfall could reach 8 feet or more, AccuWeather said on its Web site.

“Snowfall amounts in the Sierra from the upcoming storms could rank among the top snowstorm totals of the past 50 years,” according to the site. “The benchmark is a series of storms in mid-January 1952 that left more than 12 feet of snow in Tahoe City, California.”

Yesterday, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger directed the state’s emergency office to prepare for heavy rain, snow, wind and flooding where the threat of hazardous conditions has been elevated.

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