California flooding: More storms forecast for weekend as experts warn heavy rain won’t fix drought
Death toll likely to rise in California as deluge and flash floods set to continue
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California is bracing for more extreme weather this weekend, when two more storms barrel into the state on Friday and over the weekend.
The National Weather Service is forecasting heavy rain and flooding in the northern parts of the state on Saturday and into early Sunday morning, urging residents late on Thursday to “stay weather aware and prepare now”.
Since the start of the year, California has been hammered by a succession of storms with northwestern and central California already soaked by between 10 and 20 inches in the last two weeks alone.
While the heavy rain has started to raise reservoir levels, experts say it will take far more to reverse the effects of years of drought.
At least 18 people have now died in incidents linked to the extreme weather with the body of a 43-year-old woman discovered in a submerged vehicle in Sonoma County on Wednesday.
Near the city of Paso Robles, five-year-old Kyle Doan, swept away in the floodwaters when he and his mother Lindsey Doan got stuck in their car, is still missing.
Kyle’s father said that his wife unbuckled their son and the pair climbed out of the sinking car when it got stuck.
“He was calm. He was trying to say, ‘Stay calm, Mom,” he said. “She was doing her best.”
How much rain has fallen?
Nearly all of California has seen much above average rainfall totals over the past several weeks, according to the National Weather Service, with totals 400-600 per cent above average values. This has resulted in nearly saturated soils and increasingly high river levels. Today’s heavy rain will further exacerbate ongoing flooding while prolonging the risk of flash flooding and mudslides, especially across recent burn scar regions.
In another indication of how much rain has fallen to date — and how quickly — Santa Barbara County's Cachuma Reservoir rose almost five feet in 24 hours, according to National Weather Service warning coordination meteorologist Eric Boldt.
Flash flood warning issued for San Francisco
The whole city of San Francisco has been placed under a flash flood warning until 3.30pm PT.
California storms devastation captured in dramatic images
The storms that have been pounding California since New Year’s show no sign of letting up.
“Just as the last episode of heavy precipitation across California is beginning to wind down early this morning, another energetic low pressure system is quickly gathering strength off the West Coast and heading once again toward California,” the National Weather Service announced on Tuesday. “In addition to being highly moisture-laden, this rapidly intensifying system is also packing some thunderstorms.”
Here are some of the most dramatic images captured so far this week.
Sinkholes, fallen trees, floods: Dramatic images capture California storm devastation
Storms expected to continue through the week
More rainfall and damage expected from two further bouts of stormy weather
Even more rain is in the forecast for California as additional storms from the Pacific are expected to reach the western United States in the coming days, AccuWeather meteorologists say, adding to the disastrous start to the year which has seen multiple storms hit the state since New Year’s Eve.
The most recent storm dumped nearly 10 inches of rain on southern parts of the state and around two feet of snow in the Sierra Nevada mountains.
Another pair of storms are forecast to hit the west coast in the coming week, with the first set to hit the Pacific Northwest first, bringing rain and snow to Washington and Oregon in addition to northern California.
"While the wave of moisture aims for Oregon, parts of Central and Southern California will get a break from the heavy rainfall," explained AccuWeather Meteorologist Joseph Bauer.
The rain will start to move onto the coast Wednesday and persist through Friday, with up to three inches forecast in a stretch from British Columbia south to central California — a few areas could receive more than six inches of additional rainfall.
While a reprieve is expected for San Francisco and Sacramento on Thursday, the second storm will move into the West Coast in time for the weekend and may pack more of a punch for the remainder of California.
"More precipitation is expected to spread across the majority of California again on Saturday," Mr Bauer said about the second storm, which is expected to bring more flooding and high winds, likely adding to the damage already seen.
“Tree damage and power outages could be more extensive with how wet the ground is already,” said Mr Bauer.
Almost entire state of California under weather advisory
Almost the entire state of California is under a weather advisory or warning.
According to the National Weather Service, 22.76 million people are under a flood watch, and a further 11.7 million are under a flood warning — a total of more than 34 million people, or 10 per cent of the total population of the US.
Waters beginning to recede after flooding temporarily shuts down Highway 101 near Gilroy
Gilroy, California, a low-lying farm community known for its garlic festival, was an unlikely home to national notoriety on Monday when intense storm conditions in the Golden State flooded roads and fields across the small town, temporarily shutting down US Highway 101.
The north-south corridor is one of the major connectors in the state.
Thankfully, waters are beginning to recede, CBS Bay Area reports, and all four lanes of 101 are back open, according to the California transit agency Caltrans.
Recap: Tuesday’s rains add to woes for California
The latest Pacific storm unleashed torrential downpours and damaging winds in California on Tuesday, knocking out power and turning city streets into rivers as mudslides cut off highways and entire communities faced evacuation orders.
More than 33 million Californians were threatened by severe weather throughout the day as “heavy to excessive” rainfall was expected across the state, especially in southern California, as winds gusts were clocked at more than 40 miles (64 km) an hour in many places, the National Weather Service (NWS) said.
The high winds wreaked havoc on the power grid, knocking out electricity to 180,000 homes and businesses as of midday Tuesday, according to data from Poweroutage.us.
Reuters
Data: Most of California’s reservoirs still not at historic levels despite massive rains
If you want a picture of just how severe California’s drought problem is, look at the reservoirs.
Despire intense rain and snow across the state, 12 of the state’s 17 major reservoirs remain below historical averages, according to the California Department of Water Resources data.
Watch: Montecito inundated by floodwater
Video: California storms ‘dumping’ snow into Sierra Nevada mountains
The atmospheric river dumping water across California has reached into the high mountain peaks of the Sierra Nevadas.
The University of California Central Sierra Snow Lab reported on Tuesday it had seen over 9 feet of snow in the last 24 hours, 172 per cent of average precipitation.
The snow was piled so high it reached the station’s second-floor windows, the lab posted on Twitter.
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