US weather latest: Floods force thousands to evacuate homes after heavy rainfall hits west and snow hits east coast

Snow causes schools in Massachusetts to delay opening or stay closed

Flooding forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes in the US as rain pounded the west and snow meant schools had to close or delay opening on the east coast.

A river in Northern California flooded 2,000 homes, businesses and other buildings and turned two communities into virtual islands after days of stormy weather on Wednesday.

The towns of Guerneville and Monte Rio were worst hit by water pouring from the Russian River, which topped 13 metres (46 feet) late Wednesday night, according to Sonoma County spokeswoman Briana Khan.

It was the first time the river had reached that level in 25 years and it wasn’t expected to return to normal until late on Thursday.

About 3,500 people along the river remained under evacuation orders at about 2am local time on Thursday.

The river was one of several in Northern California filled to the brim by days of rain from western US storms that also dumped heavy snow in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, throughout the Pacific Northwest and into Montana.

A number of schools in Massachusetts decided to either delay opening or stayed closed entirely on Thursday because of snow in the west of the country.

All three highways leading to the mountain town of Stanley, in Idaho, were closed on Wednesday because of drifting snow, avalanches and the risk of avalanches.

People walk in Central Park during snowfall on 10 February 2019 in New York City. A winter storm is hitting the eastern part of the United States. (Johannes Eisele/AFP/Getty Images)

Several parts of California have set new records for rainfall during the unsettled spell of weather, including nearby Santa Rosa, which had nearly eight inches of rain in one day.

In Northern California, dozens of people had to be rescued from cars stranded while motorists tried to drive through flooded roads.

Snow and freezing drizzle moved through the Midwest and Northeast on Wednesday night.

The National Weather Service said weather spotters in the small town of Featherville, in Idaho, have reported 60 inches of snow since 22 February.

According to the organisation, rainfall will turn lighter in the west of the US towards the end of the working week but will grow heavier again on Saturday.

The service predicted the Sierra Nevada area could see eight to 12 inches of snow and the central Rockies could expect over a foot of snow.

Storms are expected to hit the northeast of the US from Thursday night until Saturday.

Snow is predicted for the upper mid-Atlantic, central Appalachians and southern New England, while rain showers are expected over the lower mid-Atlantic.