Portions of California are expected to receive snow measured in feet and winds gusting to near hurricane force (74 miles per hour or greater) over the next couple of days, leading to blizzard conditions. Some mountains in Southern California could see rare snowfalls of up to seven feet, while other areas may get the first measurable snow in decades.

Snow from the storm had already fallen across portions of California by Thursday evening.

As this storm system, called a “coastal-hugger” by some meteorologists, drifts south along the California coastline, it is expected to bring damaging winds across the state. Forecasters are expecting wind gusts of 55 to 75 m.p.h. across the mountains of Southern California, which would lead to whiteout conditions.