Meteorologists are warning of road closures and dangerous travel conditions for some parts of California later this week when a winter storm hits.
Why It Matters
So far this season, California’s snowpack in the Sierra Nevada mountains has been below average. An incoming atmospheric river will usher in a winter storm with up to 4 feet in some portions of the mountain range, with people living in the area being warned of dangerous travel conditions from Tuesday night to Thursday night.
What To Know
Atmospheric rivers are 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 (NOAA).
The storms are known for their heavy snow, heavy rain and strong winds.
The incoming storm will bring heavy rainfall to coastal southern California, the National Weather Service (NWS) said in a forecast on Monday. Meanwhile, high elevation areas above 5,000 feet in the Sierra Nevada mountains are expecting up to 4 feet of snow during the same time period…