Greg Garner

The strongest storm to hit California this winter will arrive tomorrow night as a potent atmospheric river and a potential bomb cyclone target the state. Widespread heavy rain, mountain snow, damaging winds, flooding, and isolated severe thunderstorms will be possible as the storm moves through the state. SoCal faces the highest threat of severe flooding, with 3-7 inches of rain expected across the coast/valleys and 6-12 inches in the mountains, with isolated amounts of up to 15 inches possible. There is the potential for life-threatening, widespread flooding. Confidence is also increasing that a potential bomb cyclone could develop off the NorCal coast as a low-pressure system rapidly deepens. This could bring a wide swath of damaging winds across much of the Central Coast and NorCal, resulting in widespread power outages. NorCal will also see heavy rain, with widespread amounts of 2-4 inches and higher amounts in hills/mountains. The Sierra will finally see a much-needed major snowstorm, with 3-7 feet of snow expected above 6,000 feet. SoCal's mountains will experience heavy snow, with 2-4 feet expected to fall above 7,000 feet. The greatest impacts from the storm will occur in NorCal from Saturday night to early Monday morning and in SoCal from Sunday evening to early Tuesday morning. Stay tuned.