First of back-to-back atmospheric rivers pushes into California. Officials urge storm preparations

By JOHN ANTCZAK
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The first of two back-to-back atmospheric rivers is pushing into California, triggering statewide storm preparations and calls for people to get ready for potential flooding, heavy snow and damaging winds. Heavy rain and gusty winds began hitting the San Francisco Bay Area Wednesday night and much of the area and the Central Coast are under a flood watch into Friday morning. Known as a “Pineapple Express” because its long plume of moisture stretches back across the Pacific to near Hawaii, the storm rolled into the far north and is expected to move down the coast through Thursday, followed by a more powerful storm on Sunday.