Rain and high winds lashed Washington state, causing widespread avalanches, mudslides, flooding and road closures as the heavy snowfall that has buried parts of the state began to rapidly melt.

A mother and her infant son have died after floodwaters swept their vehicle off a rural road in Alabama.

More than a hundred firefighters spent the night battling a stubborn, wind-driven wildfire that triggered the evacuations of more than 900 homes as it scorched grasslands near Denver.

More than 6 feet of snow in the past three weeks has left Spokane residents frustrated. Tempers are so frayed that a man was arrested for shooting at a snow plow operator.

Freezing temperatures and exceptional snowfall caused travel delays Wednesday across Europe and were blamed for at least 12 deaths.

The green thumbs who keep lawns lush and flora flourishing in Los Angeles have found a new foe among the aphids, white flies and other yard pests ? the water police.