'Monster Pacific Storm' To Strike California In Coming Days

A powerful storm, currently brewing in the Pacific, is predicted to hit California in the middle of the week, bringing powerful wind and rain to the region. According to Accuweather, heavy rain brought on by the storm will likely contribute to the growth of an atmospheric river strong enough to bring flooding, mudslides, and other hazardous conditions to the Golden State.

Rain will begin to fall across coastal areas on Wednesday and will continue into Thursday, causing dangerous roadway conditions for local and travelers. AccuWeather senior meteorologist Heather Zehr detailed the exact amount of rain predicted to fall across each area.

"A large area where 2-4 inches of rain will fall includes much of Northern California, with locally higher amounts, generally between 4 and 6 inches, being unleashed on the west- and southwest-facing Coast Ranges. The anticipated 2-4 inches of rain includes the San Francisco area, with 1-2 inches likely farther inland around Sacramento, California."

The heaviest rain will occur along the coast on Thursday.

Aside from heavy rain and wind along the coast, the storm will also bring snow to inland mountain areas. Should flash flooding occur, weather officials have encouraged residents to be wary of floating debris, rockslides, washouts, and more.

In terms of wind, AccuWeather storm warning meteorologist Joseph Bauer mentioned that gusts could be strong enough to cause town-wide power outages.

"This storm will also pack some strong gusts, with non-windy areas of the state getting in on 20- to 40-mph blusters. Areas on the coast could gust over 50 mph, which, given the saturated ground, could lead to localized power outages."

The wind in question could cause large waves to crash across the coastline from Wednesday through Saturday as the storm moves out, and the atmospheric river takes over.

For more information visit accuweather.com.