UNITED STATES - AndNowUKnow has been keeping a close watch on the current weather reports. California’s first atmospheric river storm of the season was forecasted to land this week, along with an influx of rain and snow across several other states. Most recent reports revealed the arrival of a “bomb cyclone” on Tuesday evening, causing excessive rainfall through Friday.
The Weather Prediction Center issued rainfall risks beginning Tuesday and lasting through Friday as the strongest atmospheric river that California and the Pacific Northwest has seen this season bears down on the region, AP News reported. This storm system is considered a “ bomb cyclone,” which occurs when a cyclone intensifies rapidly.
According to the source, the areas that could see particularly severe rainfall will likely reach from the south of Portland, Oregon, to the north of the San Francisco, California, area.
The National Weather Service noted that hurricane-force winds could be felt along the Oregon coast during the storm system, and Seattle may reportedly see large, low-elevation wind gusts that could cause widespread power outages and downed trees.
In northern California, flood and high wind watches were in effect Tuesday evening. Up to 8 inches of rain were predicted for parts of the San Francisco Bay Area, North Coast, and Sacramento Valley. For the northern Sierra Nevada, a winter storm watch was issued, with 15 inches of snow possible over two days.
ANUK will continue to monitor this bomb cyclone and its impacts, so be on the lookout for our next report.
