Some of the most drought-stricken stretches of the West Coast are about to get drenched. The atmospheric rivers are tongues of deep tropical moisture with origins in the central Pacific. Heavy rains and snow raise the risk of flooding and landslides, forecasters say. About 1 to 2 inches of rain is likely in the San Joaquin Valley, with lesser amounts elsewhere. Above 7,000 feet elevation, mainly snow is expected in the Sierra Nevada. A series of low-pressure systems have triggered atmospheric rivers across the western U.S.
