At least six people were killed in incidents linked to the powerful atmospheric river that drenched Southern California over the weekend, according to several local and federal agencies.

A spokesperson for the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services told Newsweek , in part, in a Sunday email, "It could be a week or more before we have a final statewide tally of fatalities associated with this weather event."

Why It Matters

Atmospheric rivers are 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 weather events often bring heavy snow and rain, as well as strong winds. Flooding is the second deadliest weather hazard

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