Our changing climate is set to dramatically alter atmospheric rivers—powerful storms that carry vast amounts of water vapor and heavy rainfall—that batter the West Coast of the United States.

Here’s the satellite view of what’s called an atmospheric river. There is a low pressure system over the Pacific Ocean that is affecting the West Coast ... and/or stored by us and social ...

Extreme weather will affect many regions of the country this week. Here are the places that will be hardest hit.