The system also will generate winds strong enough to cause power outages and give a hard shake to aircraft taking off and landing at San Diego International Airport, forecasters said. The winds gusted to 35 mph Tuesday morning at the airport and could spike to 40 mph or higher later Tuesday and on Wednesday.

Orange County Coast and San Diego County Coastal Areas are the focus of a high surf advisory issued at 9:28 p.m. on Tuesday by the National Weather Service. The advisory is valid from 11 p.m.

San Diego Gas & Electric said it was taking proactive steps to prepare for an approaching winter storm, pledging to prioritize public safety.

The so-called atmospheric river will hit the San Francisco Bay area first, possibly dropping a month’s worth of rain in a few days, weather forecasters say. The system will then sink into Southern California, edging into North County late Tuesday night then hitting hard through Christmas Eve and into Christmas Day.

The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for San Diego starting on Christmas Eve through early Christmas morning, and the California Highway Patrol is reminding people to check their