A huge plume of moisture from the Pacific, called an atmospheric river, will hit the West Coast Tuesday afternoon and last until Friday.

The storm is expected to strengthen into a bomb cyclone, meaning the pressure at the center of the storm will drop by 24 millibars in 24 hours.

The storm could be so strong that it would drop almost twice that rate, or more than 40 millibars in 24 hours.

Numerous warnings for snow, flooding, high winds and high waves were issued along the West Coast, from San Francisco Bay to Oregon to Washington.

Rainfall totals could exceed 1 foot in northern California and southern Oregon. More than 3 feet of snow is possible in higher elevations.

Wind gusts could reach 85 mph along the coast and waves could reach 34 feet.

By the weekend, some of the rain from this system will make its way to Southern California.