An atmospheric river brought additional rain, strong winds, and flooding to the Bay Area Tuesday, with an increasing chance of thunderstorms later in the afternoon.

The National Weather Service said this week's atmospheric river is proving to be stronger than initially expected.

The second peak of an ongoing atmospheric river storm arrived in Northern California Monday afternoon, prompting flood watches and a winter storm warning up in the Sierra.

Heavy precipitation is falling mostly in mountain areas. A flood watch in also in effect for the coast of central California, including the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento Valley.

The Bay Area woke up on Tuesday to the sound of pattering rain from a winter storm that soaked the region overnight, and forecasters say it’s only expected to intensify as a cold front moves through this afternoon.

At atmospheric river continues to slam portions of California Tuesday, with multiple inches of rain expected until Wednesday morning.

The NWS says excessive rainfall is expected to cause flooding along the Russian River, affecting roadways and agricultural land.