Severe weatheris set to hit opposite ends of the country this week, with a powerful low pressure system followed by an atmospheric river set to bring damaging winds, up to 12 inches of rain and some heavy snow to the Pacific Northwest, while storms and possible flooding are headed for the Gulf Coast.
The National Weather Service said in a 3 a.m. ET update that a “rapidly strengthening and extremely powerful” weather system could bring winds of 75 mph across northern California and parts of Washington and Oregon from Tuesday.
The high winds are driven by a so-called bomb cyclone, or bombogenesis, where a storm system experiences a big drop in air pressure of more than 24 millibars in 24 hours this one is due to drop 60 millibars.
“These winds are likely to produce numerous power outages and tree damage in the most impact regions,” it said.
Flood watches were issued in the northern and central Sacramento Valley, Shasta County and western Colusa County from Tuesday morning through Saturday.
Parts of California reached freezing temperatures Monday, with 25 degrees Fahrenheit recorded in Paso Robles.
An atmospheric river a flowing narrow corridor of moisture that can bring severe weather was set to hit California’s Redwood Coast and northern mountain ranges Wednesday, bringing the threat of 5 to more than 10 inches of rain, floods and mudslides, with the threat peaking Thursday.
The weather service urged people in affected areas to follow local news and alerts and not to travel through hazardous conditions.
“This is going to be a big one,” NBC meteorologist Angie Lassman told Early TODAY Tuesday.
Further south, the eastern and central Gulf Coast are due to receive heavy rain and possible flash floods, with eastern Louisiana to the western Florida Panhandle the area most at risk, the weather service said.
Elsewhere, a deep low pressure system will bring moderate to heavy rain across the Plains region, with a marginal risk of severe thunderstorms.
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