Atmospheric river threatens several inches of rain across California
A potent system approaching the West Coast will produce ample rainfall across most of California over the next couple of days, with the highest mountain peaks in the Sierra potentially in line for up to two feet of snow.
Forecasters are watching a sharp trough digging through the eastern Pacific Ocean to end this week. Precipitation will begin washing into northern California and the Bay Area through the first half of Thursday, gradually spreading south and east into the day.
Rain will reach southern California by early Friday morning, with sustained precipitation streaming across the region straight through Saturday and likely into the first half of Sunday.
This system will coat every square inch of California in at least some rainfall, with the bulk of the state’s population expecting at least one inch of rain through this weekend.
Many areas will see much higher totals. 1-2 inches of rain is in the cards for most of the Central Valley, with higher totals in the Sierra foothills. The mountains proper could see up to 5 inches of precipitation, some of which will fall as snow above 8,500 feet or so.
Los Angeles could see 3-4 inches of rain by the end of the weekend. For some context, the weather station in downtown Los Angeles only averages 0.78 inches of rain in a typical November, and the site averages 14.25 inches of rain each year.
Unsurprisingly, there’s a widespread risk for flooding. A flash flood watch is in effect from Yosemite Valley down to the San Emigdio Mountains south of Bakersfield, with additional flash flood watches likely throughout southern California in the coming days.
Excessive runoff from heavy rainfall could cause rivers and streams to quickly rise. Flash flooding and landslides are especially possible on and around burn scars.
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