Thousands of Californian homes without power following damaging winds and torrential rains

Hurricane-force winds, surging surf, and torrential downpours from a massive atmospheric river storm system have pounded California since Wednesday, leaving thousands of homes and businesses without power.

At least six people have died due to severe weather since the New Year weekend, including a toddler, killed when a fallen redwood tree crushed a mobile home in the town of Occidental.

A National Weather Service alert warned that the successive heavy storms since late December could bring rivers to record high levels and cause flooding across much of Central California.

Forecasters are warning that another 'atmospheric river' of dense, moist tropical air will hit the Golden State with rain and mountain snow on Monday.

Here in Aptos residents have begun clean-up efforts but are bracing for another onslaught of severe weather.