An atmospheric firehose could soon take aim at California, raising the prospects of a wet and stormy Halloween and Election Day. The massive pattern change is likely to take shape during the last week of October and may persist into the first full weekend of November. … Several models are calling for upwards of 1 to 3 inches of rain around the Bay Area by the first weekend of November. Even more precipitation is forecast for southern California and the Sierra. Exact amounts aren’t guaranteed by any means at this time range, but the trend is hard to ignore. California is primed for rain this winter, in part due to unusual ocean heat associated with this year’s extremely powerful El Niño.

Other storm and flood news around the West:

• The Denver Post (Colo.): Evacuations ordered for ‘extreme’ flood threat in southern Colorado​
• ABC30 (Fresno, Calif.): Storm drenches Central California, flooding streets and prompting safety reminders
• USA Today: El Niño report warns of California flood risk, including SFO
• San Luis Obispo Tribune (Calif.): How much rain did SLO County get during storm? See totals so far
• The Desert Sun (Palm Springs, Calif.): California water reservoir levels and what they mean