Half a dozen southern California counties are under an emergency declaration Wednesday as another powerful storm from the Pacific pummels the region.

The declaration from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger warns of a forecast that calls for “extraordinary and continuing rainfall” that is likely to cause more flooding and landslides in the region and authorizes state assistance for local authorities.

The proclamation covers Kern, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo and Tulare counties in southern California.

“We’re preparing for what we expect to be a very heavy, severe rainstorm …” said Mike Kaspar with Los Angeles County Public Works. “In the worst case senario, we could be looking at as much as 8 inches more of rain in the southern California area,”

Storm-weary Californians on Tuesday slogged through another day of record-breaking snow, rain and flooding from a series of storms that prompted an emergency declaration from the state’s governor.

The five-day rain total has topped 10 inches in many areas, with much heavier amounts in some locales. More than 21 inches have fallen on Twin Peaks in San Bernardino county, with Twin Creek receiving nearly 20 inches.

High winds also whipped much of the state, particularly at high elevations. Peak wind gusts reached 152 mph in Alpine Meadows summit in northern California, the weather service reported.

Mudslides forced officials to close a portion of State Route 1, also known as the Pacific Coast Highway, in Ventura County, according to the California Department of Transportation. The Pacific Coast Highway was also closed north of Santa Barbara due to flooding.

A mudslide also closed a portion of State Route 41 in San Luis Obispo County. A stretch of State Route 34 in the Oxnard area was closed because of flooding.

(Source: CNN)