The National Weather Service has issued a Wind Advisory for the entire Bay Area and Monterey Bay region, as an atmospheric river storm is expected to bring heavy rain and strong winds starting Wednesday night.

Forecasters said the advisory would take effect at 10 p.m. Wednesday, continuing through 10 a.m. Thursday. Southeast winds from 15 to 25 mph, gusting to 50 mph is expected.

In addition, the Weather Service issued a High Wind Warning for coastal areas of the North Bay, San Francisco and the Peninsula. Winds are expected to range from 25 to 35 mph, gusting to 60 mph for these areas.

Officials warned damaging winds could lead to downed trees and power lines, resulting in property damage and possibly widespread power outages. Travel could be extremely difficult and hazardous, particularly for high-profile vehicles.

Ahead of the storm, residents are urged to secure loose objects that could be blown or damaged by the wind.

Along with strong winds, the upcoming storm is set to bring significant amounts of rain. The Weather Service said in its Wednesday morning forecast discussion that rain chances will slowly increase throughout the day on Wednesday, starting in the north and heading south.

The heaviest amount of rain will begin late Wednesday into early Thursday. Between Wednesday and 4 a.m. Friday, locations in the North Bay could see 1.25 to 5 inches of rain, while rain amounts in the East Bay could vary from 0.75 to 2.25 inches.

Meanwhile, locations in San Francisco, the Peninsula and South Bay should expect rainfall amounts ranging from 1.25 to 3.5 inches. In the Monterey Bay region, precipitation should range from 0.75 to 5.25 inches.

After the storm, expect unsettled conditions to continue with showers possible on Friday and into the weekend.

Elsewhere in California, the storm is also expected to bring widespread rain to the Sacramento Valley, along with snow to the Sierra Nevada. A Winter Storm Watch is in effect for Sierra elevations above 5,000 feet from 1 a.m. Thursday through 4 a.m. Friday.

Bay Area storm preparations

As an atmospheric river storm moves in this evening, people across the Bay Area are preparing for what's to come. 

For the owner of Sunshine Gutters, Nir Hadari, gray and overcast skies can be good news. 

"We are getting really, really busy right now," said Harari. "The phone is overflowing with calls."

Hadari has owned his business for more than two decades, and he knows that as the weather starts to turn, that's when people remember they need to clean their gutters.

His crews worked all day, going from home to home, trying to get everyone ready for the incoming atmospheric river storm. Hadari said there are risks to ignoring your gutters.

"If they don't get their gutters cleaned, they can have a lot of water damage," said Hadari. "This is really bad because it can go into your basement and into your foundation, create mold and mildew."

At Pacific Gas and Electric, Regional Senior Manager Jeremy Howard said they're also preparing for the wet weather. 

"The winds are usually what causes the problems in respect to power so often times tree branches or trees that blow over into our lines will lead to outages," said Howard. 

Before the rain rolls in, they're positioning their crews.

"We have an AI learning model that we're able to pair thirty years of outage data with to be able to predict where power outages will occur, and we're able to pre-position our crews and our equipment in those areas," Howard detailed. 

They're hoping these efforts will prevent anyone from being in the dark for too long. While some of PG&E's work doesn't get underway until the rain is here, Hadari has to get all of his work done beforehand. He said while most people wait for the wet season, it's important all year round.

"If you have a lot of dried leaves in the gutter, it's a fire hazard," Hadari explained. "So, it's always good to do it on time."