Atmospheric river could possibly arrive to Northern California

An atmospheric river may be approaching Northern California, bringing heavy rain starting on Wednesday, the National Weather Service said. 

Meteorologists predict the "rather impressive system" will last into the weekend, the NWS wrote on social media. 

Should the atmospheric river hit, the northern portions of the North Bay would likely take the brunt of the atmospheric river, according to the weather service, but those impacts could shift slightly southward closer to the SF Bay.   

Cities on the North Coast could be pelted with over 10 inches of rain, while San Francisco and Oakland might get one to four inches, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

Many Bay Area residents will recall as just one example the atmospheric river of early 2019.

It sent heavy rain and gusty wind through the Bay Area, causing flooding, downed trees and other problems. Thousands of utility customers lost power as trees and other debris fell on power lines and airports canceled or delayed flights.   

An atmospheric river, as the name suggests, is like a river of water vapor in the sky flowing from the tropics to higher latitudes, often bringing a huge amount of rain, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.