California Flooding Storms Bringing Gusty Winds and Up to 6 Inches of Rain

As tranquil weather settles over much of the U.S. this week, an intense California rain storm is developing offshore, poised to bombard the state with drenching rain, howling winds and the threat of flooding from midweek onward.

Atmospheric River Takes Aim at California

Meteorologists have been warning of the ferocity of this storm since mid-January, urging that an atmospheric river will aim directly for California and unleash rainfall heavy enough to trigger flooding, mudslides and travel nightmares.

The Northern to Southern California winter storm will organize and strengthen after a separate winter storm pushes onshore over British Columbia Tuesday, spreading showery rain and mountain snow into the Pacific Northwest.

The main event and its narrowly focused yet torrential rain band, characteristic of atmospheric river events, will take shape well offshore over the Pacific before bearing down on the California coastline. Relentless rainfall will shift from a Northern California storm to a Wednesday Southern California storm Thursday as the moisture pipeline pushes inland.