Storms to bring heavy snow, powerful winds and dangerous surf to the West
A series of storms will move across the West over the coming week, a pattern expected to occur frequently over the next six months as a record El Niño pattern takes hold.
The first round of precipitation moves in Friday, stretching from the San Francisco Bay Area to western Oregon and Washington. Snow is expected across the Colorado Rockies on Saturday.
A winter storm warning is in effect for parts of California's Sierra Nevada, including the Greater Lake Tahoe area and Mammoth Lakes, where up to 2 feet of snow is possible at the highest elevations Friday and Saturday.
Winds could gust up to 45 mph in Truckee and Lake Tahoe communities, and up to 90 mph along ridges.
Wind advisories are in effect for more than 5 million people across parts of Oregon, Nevada and California, with gusts up to 65 mph possible in some areas.
A high surf warning is in effect from Monterey to Crescent City, where waves could reach 25 feet Friday and 35 feet Saturday.
Coastal flooding is possible in the Bay Area on Friday during high tide, with water levels potentially reaching 1.5 feet above normal. The highest tide in the Bay Area is expected around 12:50 p.m. local time, while high tide in Los Angeles is expected around 10 a.m.
In Southern California, a high surf advisory is in effect for waves of 8 to 14 feet from Friday through Tuesday.
Another round of mostly rain and higher-elevation snow is expected to move into Northern California, Oregon and Washington on Sunday.
A further round of storms, similar to the previous two, is possible Wednesday.
