Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Tuesday, Jan. 3. I’m Karim Doumar, the L.A. Times’ head of newsletters, filling in for Ryan Fonseca. Happy New Year!
An atmospheric river pummeled Northern California with rain and snow this weekend, ending a drought-ridden 2022 with dangerous floods, levee breaches, power outages and evacuations. Northern California took the brunt of it over the weekend, and new storms are heading for the state later this week, too.
Record rains and fallout
Oakland had its wettest day since 1970 on Saturday with 4.75 inches of rain. A mudslide east of the city blocked part of Highway 580. In San Francisco, 5.46 inches of rain fell, making Saturday the city’s second wettest day in more than 170 years, the National Weather Service reported.
Flash flooding south of Sacramento submerged dozens of cars near Wilton, where the water poured over the levees, according to Times reporters Michael Finnegan and Jessica Garrison. Search and rescue crews in boats and helicopters scrambled to pick up trapped motorists. At least one person was found dead in a submerged car near Dillard Road and Highway 99, according to local media reports.
“I don’t want to use the term apocalyptic, but it’s ugly,” Sacramento County spokesman Matt Robinson, speaking by phone from a stretch of Highway 99 that he described as a vast lake, told Finnegan and Garrison. “We have a lot of stuck cars.”
In Los Angeles, where heavy rain fell Sunday and Monday, forecasters expect a strong Pacific storm with heavy rain and strong winds late Wednesday and Thursday.
Snow levels in the Sierra have also been outrageously high, with over 30 inches falling Saturday on top of an already prolific snow season.
Atmospheric rivers, explained
An atmospheric river is a long path of moisture that flows through the lower atmosphere, like a river in the sky. Obstacles, like the coastline, force rivers to shed their moisture and produce heavy rain and snow, Times graphic and data journalist Paul Duginski explained a couple years ago.
Atmospheric rivers lift up and over mountain ranges, dropping their moisture. (Paul Duginski / Los Angeles Times)
Atmospheric rivers can be roughly 500 miles wide and transport water at a rate equivalent to 25 Mississippi Rivers or 2.5 Amazon Rivers, according to Marty Ralph, an expert on atmospheric rivers at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Read more from Duginski’s atmospheric river explainer here.
Drought isn’t over, but this helps
The wet weather that closed 2022 has enabled at least a few of the state’s major reservoirs to exceed their historical average water supply. But the drought is far from over.
“The moisture that we’re getting now is a big help, but we need more — a lot more — to really put a major dent in the drought,” Richard Heim, a meteorologist with the National Centers for Environmental Information and one of the authors of the U.S. Drought Monitor, told reporter Hayley Smith.
To get more climate coverage delivered right into your inbox, sign up for Boiling Point.
How to prepare for and survive heavy rains
For most people, rain means an excuse to cancel plans, rest, preserve energy and do household chores. I am sure you have your own rain traditions (mine’s moping and gazing forlornly out a window).
But heavy rain can put people at risk. Be aware of flood hazards wherever you live, but especially if your home is in a low-lying area, near water or near a recently burned hillside, Times reporter Karen Garcia suggests.
- Check the flood risk in your area
- Make a plan for flood emergencies
- Listen to county officials and first responders
- Read The Times’ guide to preparing for floods
And remember, it is never a good idea to drive through standing water, especially at night. If there’s a big pool of water between you and your destination, the safest thing to do is turn around and take a detour.
No comments:
Post a Comment