Western US: Two major storms to watch this week
An active pattern will continue across the western U.S. this week with two major storms to track.
An upper-level low (storm #1) is forecast to stall and churn over the Pacific just west of California early this week before moving through the state at midweek.
This feature will help pull tropical moisture northward and aim it at California Tuesday into Thursday which will result in heavy rain for Southern California.
With the added tropical moisture, there is great concern for flooding, mudslides, and debris flows, especially in and around burn scar areas.
A plume of tropical moisture is shown being pulled northward into California midweek. Shown is forecast precipitable water from the GFS model.
As it stands now, it appears Ventura and Santa Barbara counties could face the brunt of the heaviest rain.
The foothills and mountains could see 3 to 6 inches of rain Tuesday afternoon through Thursday while coastal areas and valleys see between 1 and 3 inches.
Heavy rain will also soak Northern California with the heaviest expected in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada where there can be several inches. Flooding will also be a concern here.
Snow levels are expected to remain high, likely above 7,000 feet. There can be several feet of snow above that.
Another upper-level low (storm #2) is forecast to drop into the Northwest Wednesday through the end of the week and will deliver a couple feet of fresh snow to the Cascades and Bitterroots. Steadier rain will occur in the valleys.
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