By Reginald Stanley. Posted March 19, 2023, 3:07 AM.

A strong atmospheric river is setting the stage for a potentially soggy week across the state, as rain chances are high from Monday through Thursday this week.

A weak transitory ridge over the region Saturday will give way to cooler temperatures, increasing cloudiness and wet weather late Sunday. Precipitation of varying intensity with occasional pauses is predicted for Monday-Tuesday before potentially much heavier rain and even thunderstorms become more likely on Wednesday. Valleys and coasts could see up to several inches of rain by Thursday's end, with snow levels in the mountains falling lower than during the previous two warmer storms - roughly 6,000 feet above sea level. Current computer forecast models show projected storm totals of between 1.5 and 3 inches in the valleys and coasts this week. This would pour even more water on top of an already rain-soaked region this winter, boosting precipitation totals for the month of March well above average - and boosting season totals for 2022-2023 even further above average.

Season totals have exceeded entire season averages at all active WeatherCurrents stations with enough years of precipitation data to calculate averages. Five WeatherCurrents stations have exceeded 20 inches for the entire season already (Hemet, Lake Elsinore, Simi Valley, Northwest Murrieta, and South Fallbrook) with several other stations closing in on 20 inches pending this week's rainfall. The wet winter has helped recover water levels in California's lakes and reservoirs and is contributing to a spectacular bloom among rain-drenched green landscapes. The 2022-2023 season is the first season to feature widespread above-average rainfall since 2019-2020, with many locations currently observing their wettest season since 2010-2011.