Then a powerful atmospheric river is expected to arrive early Wednesday, bringing heavy rain along the coast through Thursday, with significant impacts to the mountains as it moves east through the week.

A new study finds that atmospheric rivers — the heavy rain and wind events most known for dousing California and other parts of the West — have been getting bigger, wetter and more frequent in the past 45 years as the world warms.

A new study finds that atmospheric rivers — the heavy rain and wind events most known for dousing California and other parts of the West — have been getting bigger, wetter and more frequent in the past 45 years as the world warms.