Tuesday marks the first day of winter and in some places across the U.S., it roared in with a vengeance.

Parts of California have been flooded. In Colorado, meteorologists have forecast an epic snowfall, with the storm reported to be moving to the East.

From the East Coast to the West Coast, the winter weather has made its presence known.

Perpetual pounding rain has soaked what is usually sunny Southern California. In Kern County, after three days of rain, there was enough water for one man to ride on his jet ski.

For others, the flooding forced hundreds of residents out of their homes and into shelters.

The downpour, which has totaled as much as 10 inches in some places, have also caused problems with trees. One man was inside his house when he heard what he described as snapping and cracking sounds from an old pine tree located next to his home.

"I just knew it," said Eric Budzinski, whose truck was totalled when the tree fell on it. "I knew my truck was parked there. And I thought, 'It's going to be a bad day.'"

Several Christmas shoppers in Sacramento, Calif., were terrified when high winds caused the wall of a shopping mall to collapse.

Meanhwile., the storm system pounding Southern California won't let up until later this week and could bring up to ten more inches of rain before the next storm is forecast to roll in Christmas night.

In Colorado, a winter storm brought 80 mile-per-hour winds that battered Colorado Springs and caused a traffic nightmare. Forecasters have predicted that the storm may drop up to one foot of snow.

An early white Christmas has also been seen in the country's midsection and for parts of the East Coast.

In Cape Cod, Mass., those who weren't involved in traffic accidents tried to take it all in stride. It's good thing, since it was the first day of what could be a very long winter.