A powerful atmospheric river was sweeping across Northern California on Thursday, bringing widespread rain, gusty winds, and high-elevation snow to the Sacramento region, forecasters said.

Southern California is bracing for heavy rain, gusty winds and cooler temperatures as a Pacific storm, fed by an atmospheric river, moves inland through the region.

A strong Pacific storm is pushing into Southern California and ingredients are in place for potential life-threatening flooding, mudslides and debris flows, especially near burn scars in the Los Angeles area.

A strong atmospheric river moving inland Wednesday night through Friday will bring widespread rain, mountain snow, and gusty winds across California.

Rain in the valley should begin tapering off into scattered showers by Thursday afternoon. This is when the focus of this storm shifts to snowfall in the Sierra by the evening. A Winter Storm Watch is in effect for elevations above 5,000 feet in the Sierra Nevada from 1 a.m. Thursday through 4 a.m. Friday.

An atmospheric river has begun to slam California that is expected to bring days of heavy rain, strong wind gusts and potentially feet of mountain snow to the Golden State through early next week, ushering in the regions rainy season.

The storm could trigger dangerous flash floods and mudslides, but it may also extinguish California’s wildfire season.

With an atmospheric river set to arrive in Southern California, precautionary evacuation warnings have been issued in recent wildfire burn areas.