Northern California and Pacific Northwest brace for major 'bomb cyclone' storm

Residents in Northern California and Oregon are preparing for a major storm that is expected to hit the region on Tuesday night, which could potentially cause power outages and flash floods.

The National Weather Service issued high wind warnings and warned of excessive rainfall risks in Northern California on Tuesday, which will last until Friday. The areas that could see the highest rainfall likely stretch from the south of Portland, Oregon, to the north of the San Francisco, the Associated Press reported.

Richard Bann, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center, said the storm has intensified so quickly that it now constitutes a "bomb cyclone." It is expected to reach max intensity on Wednesday.

“Be aware of the risk of flash flooding at lower elevations and winter storms at higher elevations. This is going to be an impactful event,” he said.

Residents in the affected regions are encouraged not to travel during the storms, where wind gusts could reach up to 70 miles per hour on Oregon beaches. Winds are projected to reach up to 75 mph on California mountains.

The weather service said Washington could also expect to see some heavy rain this week but it would not be as bad as Oregon and California.

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.