California 's Death Valley National Park, commonly known as the driest place in North America, could see 1,000 percent of its average November rainfall over the next two days should rain arrive as forecasted.

Why It Matters

The extreme rainfall comes as Southern California faces a severe atmospheric river threatening floods, strong winds, and heavy mountain snow. An atmospheric river is a “long, narrow region in the atmosphere—like rivers in the sky—that transport most of the water vapor outside of the tropics,” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The storms brought by atmospheric rivers are more commonly found on the West Coast, particularly during the winter months. Although the storms can bring beneficial rain that helps supplement reservoirs

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