Meanwhile, a strong southwesterly jet stream began transporting a large surge of moist air with connections to the tropical Pacific.
As surface impulses moved along the frontal boundary, the stage was set for a widespread variety of winter weather.
An upper level low progressing eastward across the central Pacific provided the added ingredients for a prolonged precipitation event.
Electric transformers were prone to explosion and in some cases created small fires, and trees shattered under the weight of hundreds of pounds of ice.
Then on the tail end of the storm, some places got snow on top of the ice that had fallen, only worsening the problem.