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A series of atmospheric, river-borne storms is lashing the West with strong winds, drenching rain, heavy mountain snow, and stirring up massive waves and dangerous seas just offshore.

The seemingly endless series of storms began over the weekend but turned deadly in California earlier this week.

A man died Monday morning after becoming trapped under debris at Sunset State Beach in central California, The Associated Press reported. According to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, he was likely pinned there by a large wave.

Another man was likely washed into the ocean just a few miles south at Marina State Beach early Monday afternoon, authorities said. The U.S. Coast Guard and California Highway Patrol were deployed to search for the man by air and sea but were unable to locate him, according to Marina Police.

According to NOAA, waves in the Monterey Bay area – where both incidents occurred – were about 10 feet high from late Monday morning to early afternoon. Waves as high as 25 feet were reported elsewhere near the coast of northern and central California on Monday.

The storm expanded its threats Tuesday as heavy rains inundated the northern half of California, including San Francisco. During the heaviest rain on Tuesday, precipitation rates could reach 3 to 4 inches per hour, especially in the Sierra Nevada foothills, the National Weather Service warned.

Heavy rain could lead to flash flooding and debris flows, particularly over burn scars in the area. Burn scars are often a combination of burned plants, debris and altered soil layer, making them vulnerable to flooding.

The higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada and parts of the Cascades, where winter weather advisories are in effect, will see heavy mountain snowfall through Tuesday. Extensive snowfalls of up to 30 cm are possible, in isolated cases the total amount may even exceed 30 cm.

Along with snow, widespread wind gusts of 70 mph, with isolated gusts possibly reaching 90 mph over mountain ridges, could cause blowing snow and reduced visibility for all travelers.

This storm is also causing strong winds elsewhere on the West Coast, where high wind warnings are in effect. Widespread wind gusts of up to 60 miles per hour could cause power outages on land and are already increasing dangerous waves offshore. Waves as high as 35 feet could cause coastal erosion and damage to coastal communities this week.

“Life-threatening swimming and surfing conditions and significant coastal erosion are expected,” the NWS warned. “Large waves can sweep across the beach without warning, pulling people from rocks, jetties and beaches into the sea.”

The dramatic collapse of a section of the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf on Monday afternoon highlighted the growing challenges posed by climate change and the urgent need for public safety measures.

At about 12:45 a.m. Monday, the roughly 200-foot-long end of the wharf collapsed into the Pacific Ocean along with three workers, a closed restaurant and a closed public restroom, Santa Cruz city officials said Tuesday.

This part of the wharf and the town’s famous Dolphin Restaurant have been closed to the public for construction work since December last year after previous storms caused significant damage.

When strong waves caused by high tide and wind hit the quay on Monday, the active construction site collapsed into the sea. The rest of the wharf is intact, officials said.

Two of the workers who fell into the water were rescued by a lifeguard unit and the other person rescued himself, Assistant City Manager Michelle Templeton said Tuesday.

According to Ryan Reber, chief of operations for the city’s fire department, the city was anticipating a major sea rise this week and had deployed eight additional lifeguards, some of whom were patrolling the water on personal watercraft at the time of the incident.

“This is certainly not what we expected, but we were prepared and were already in the water, so it was a quick deployment and rescue for us. We had that on our radar,” Reber said.

The collapse, attributed to the unrelenting force of the ocean, has left behind significant debris, including pilings and parts of the deck, posing a serious threat to shipping and public safety. The incident is “further evidence of the power of our changing climate,” said City Manager Matt Huffaker.

Officials are asking the public not to attempt to recover debris remaining in the water.

Back-to-back storms last December led to the wharf’s initial closure and prompted a $4 million restoration project that is still ongoing, city officials said.

“As many people here in Santa Cruz know and see daily, climate change has led to more intense storms and sea level rise, and with that the city continues to face growing challenges that threaten Santa Cruz’s infrastructure and coastline,” Templeton said .

Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley said the city must address these broader challenges moving forward.

“I don’t think we’re alone. I think that’s what coastal communities around the world are probably struggling with in this manifestation of climate change,” Keeley said Tuesday.

As the city prepares for more severe weather, authorities urged the public to heed high surf warnings and stay away from the beaches. “Our coast is wild. It’s unpredictable,” Huffaker warned, urging vigilance during the holiday season.

More storms are on the way for Christmas and beyond

The storm hitting the West Coast will move east on Wednesday and could bring up to a foot of snowfall across the Rocky Mountains, just in time for Christmas Day and the start of Hanukkah.

On Thursday it will finally move into the Southern Plains, where the threat will shift again, this time in the form of severe thunderstorms. The strongest threat of severe storms Thursday afternoon could affect eastern Texas and northwestern Louisiana, where there is a Level 2 out of 5 risk of severe storms, according to the Storm Prediction Center.

There will be only a brief respite from the storms on the West Coast before another atmospheric river storm sweeps across the coast on Wednesday evening, bringing a prolonged series of coastal and lower elevation rainfall and snowfall at higher elevations throughout the weekend .

Rainfall totals of 5 to 10 inches are possible through the end of the week, which could lead to further flooding and a rise in river levels. Meters of snowfall could blanket the area’s higher elevations and wind gusts of up to 65 miles per hour could bring life-threatening conditions for travelers, the NWS warned.

CNN meteorologist Mary Gilbert and CNN’s Karina Tsui contributed to this report.