Moderate to heavy rain with isolated thunderstorms was forecast to develop on Tuesday, March 21, in advance of an “unseasonably strong” storm system hitting parts of California, the National Weather Service said.

The weather service warned of flooding, heavy mountain snow and damaging winds.

Satellite imagery published by the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere on Monday shows the “high impact” storm system taking shape, which the institute said was set to bring heavy snow and rain. Credit: CIRA/NOAA via Storyful