LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Forecasters are warning that the amount of rain expected over the next several days due to an intensive atmospheric river could bring flooding, landslides and travel disruptions across Northern California.

“This atmospheric river will unleash the most rainfall Northern California has seen so far this year. Rounds of intense rain could trigger landslides and rockslides,” AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said. “This is tropical moisture with warmer air, so snow levels will be much higher than we typically see. The heavy rain could melt some of the snowpack in the lower elevations, which could contribute to flooding problems.”

Accuweather said the moisture is flowing into the West via a “pineapple express” atmospheric river, which funnels rich tropical moisture from near Hawaii directly into the West Coast.

“An atmospheric river is essentially a river of moisture that can stretch thousands of miles,” Rayno explained. “Atmospheric rivers can transport tremendous amounts of moisture. There could be up to two feet of rainfall in the coastal ranges and western slopes of the northern Sierra.”

AccuWeather expert meteorologists are forecasting between 2 and 4 inches of rain for San Francisco, 4 to 8 inches for the North Bay, and a zone of 6 to 12 inches of rain in parts of Northern California through Tuesday, with an AccuWeather Local StormMax of 24 inches in the mountains.

The National Weather Service’s updated forecast shows that showers are expected for the coming week, with the potential for snow showers in Lake County’s lower elevations late Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

The forecast said snow levels could drop to between 1,000 and 2,000 feet in elevation, which the National Weather Service said could be the lowest elevation snowfall of the season.

As a result, there could be impacts along Highway 20, forecasters said.

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