SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- One of the heaviest rain storms in years threatened Saturday to damp down New Year's Eve in Northern California.

Flood warnings were posted for 19 counties across central California from the Sacramento area to the Sierras. Mudslides closed several highways in the Sierras, including Interstate 80.

Steve Jackson -- owner of King's Sporting Goods in Guerneville on the Russian River north of the Bay Area -- reported a brisk business in storm supplies from ponchos and boots to batteries. He told the San Francisco Chronicle one anxious customer even picked up an inflatable boat and life jackets.

At least one Guerneville resort canceled its New Year's Eve party because of the weather.

In Sacramento, officials ordered a round-the-clock watch on the levees that protect the state capital from flooding.

Scattered evacuations were reported and several thousand homes and businesses were without power.

More rain is in the forecast through Monday.

Storm strands hundreds in Britain

LONDON, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Snow and rain have fouled roads and closed airports in much of England and Scotland.

In Yorkshire, hundreds of cars were buried under drifting snow after a fatal crash blocked a road in the eastern part of the county, the Yorkshire Post reported. Another 200 cars were stuck on a hill on the York to Hull road.

"The scene was unbelievable," said Nick Grainger, a spokesman for the Humberside Fire Service. "One car skidded and stopped and the others came to a stop behind it, and with the snow blowing off the hills it just turned into a snowdrift in an instant and they were stuck fast."

At least two other people have been killed in car crashes.

Flights into and out of Newcastle Airport were delayed by snow that covered the runways. The weather also affected traffic at Stansted Airport near London.

Forecasters said warm air moving east from the Atlantic is expected to bring relief. While the northern and eastern parts of England were struggling with wintry weather, the high temperature in the southwest was 54 degrees.

Australian support for Iraq War drops

CANBERRA, Australia, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- A poll in Australia finds that even supporters of Prime Minister John Howard believe the country should not have become involved in Iraq.

The survey, done for The Australian, showed 66 percent of the electorate believe the war has not been worth the cost. That's up from 58 percent a year ago.

Only 27 percent believe the war was worth it, down from 32 percent.

Among Coalition voters, 43 percent think the war was worth it, down from 50 percent in December 2004 and 63 percent in early 2004.

Australia has 1,320 troops in Iraq. The continued violence in the country has scuttled plans to bring some of those troops home in early 2006, and President Bush might even put pressure on Howard to increase Australian forces, the newspaper said.

8 dead in Indonesia religious violence

PALU, Indonesia, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- A deadly bombing in an Indonesian market is being blamed on religious intolerance.

Eight people are dead and 45 injured after a bomb full of nails and ball bearings exploded Saturday morning in Palu, the BBC reports.

It happened in a Christian part of the town, at a pork stand.

Authorities blame Muslim militants for this attack and recent violence. Twelve people reportedly have been arrested in the wake of the blast.

Police also defused another bomb in the area.

Violence between Christians and Muslims killed nearly 1,000 people in 2000 and 2001.

Two bombs killed 20 people in May this year and three Christian schoolgirls were beheaded in October.

Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim nation, the BBC said, but the population in many parts of Central Sulawesi province is split between Muslims and Christians.