Atmospheric River Seen From Space as 3 States Brace for Extreme Rain

Satellite imagery showed an atmospheric river from space as three states brace for 4-plus inches of rain later this week.

Multiple atmospheric rivers have hit California this winter, and another is on the way, with forecasts showing the storm will hit coastal cities the hardest in the Golden State, with rain falling as soon as Wednesday. A second, more severe storm will batter the West Coast beginning over the weekend.

Atmospheric rivers are defined as a "long, narrow region in the atmosphere—like rivers in the sky—that transport most of the water vapor outside of the tropics," according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. More than a dozen atmospheric rivers battered the state last year, largely eliminating drought but creating severe problems such as flooding and mudslides.

A National Weather Service (NWS) forecast precipitation map showed that the first storm could unleash more than 4 inches of rain on some areas. Northwest Washington, southwest Oregon and northwest California will face the worst of the rain.

Several weather accounts shared the satellite imagery on social media, which shows the looming storm as it approaches the West Coast.

"Here is a current look at the storm system that will produce widespread heavy rain, strong winds and mountain snow on Thursday. More details on timing and amounts coming later this afternoon!" the NWS office in San Diego posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday.

"That is one, beautiful, gnarly monster out there in the Pacific right now and it will impact the Western U.S. over the next few days," meteorologist Tom Niziol, a Fox Weather winter storm specialist, posted.

"Breathtaking satellite imagery of a stunning mid-latitude cyclone off the West Coast that will steer a significant atmospheric river into California tomorrow," extreme weather expert Colin McCarthy posted.

Meteorologists are most concerned with the impacts of the second storm. NWS meteorologist Marc Chenard told Newsweek that the first system is weakening and moving quickly, but that isn't the case with the forecast for later this weekend.

"The next one looks to be in more of an intensifying phase as it gets closer to the coast," Chenard said. "It is slower moving, so the duration will be longer."

There is uncertainty with the second storm's forecast, as it is still days away.

Although the brunt of the first storm is expected to hit the Pacific Northwest, the NWS forecast shows that 2 to 4 inches of rain could fall along the southern coast of California as well. Rainfall will begin in Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and San Diego on Thursday.

After the storm lashes the West Coast, it will move throughout inland states in the West. NWS San Diego posted a map on X earlier this week that showed nearly every single state would experience widespread precipitation.

The incoming atmospheric rivers follow devastating flooding that occurred in San Diego last week, in which the typically dry city saw more than 2 inches of rainfall in six hours. Destruction was so severe that Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for San Diego and Ventura counties.

Update 2/1/2024, 12:22 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.