An atmospheric river is expected to bring heavy rain, powerful winds and snow to the West Coast starting next week. Residents across California should prepare for above-normal amounts of precipitation from Jan. 30 to Feb. 5, according to the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center. Forecasts show there is a high risk of localized flooding and landslides across California with heavy rain across the state and snow in the Sierra and Klamath ranges. … An atmospheric river is an area in the atmosphere that carries water vapors outside of the tropics … When these so-called “rivers in the sky” make landfall, they drop rain and snow

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