24 trillion gallons of water have drenched California, and storms aren’t over – the Washington Post
Since late December, California has seen it all. More than a foot of rain has come down in the lowlands, with eight feet of snow in the Sierra Nevada. For the state as a whole, the equivalent of about 24 trillion gallons of water has poured down from the sky — or an average of more than 8.5 inches of rain over every acre.
It’s not just water that has blasted the state. Winds nearing hurricane force have torn from the coast to the Central Valley and into the mountains, downing untold numbers of trees and cutting power to hundreds of thousands. A tornado danced south of Sacramento.
At least 18 people have died in the onslaught of storms, and it’s not over yet…
USGS Remote Sensing Data Tracks Coastal Erosion from California Storms – USGS
The USGS has collected and released topographic data that show the erosional effects of the January 2023 storms on the coast for the Santa Cruz region of California…Comparing the data with pre-storm conditions mapped in September 2022 provide “before” and “after” perspectives of the effects of the January storms. These data have been released under USGS Emergency Use Data authorities for data that have immediate or time-sensitive relevance to public health and safety…
Why California Is Being Deluged by Atmospheric Rivers – Scientific American
California has been hit by repeated storms fueled by torrents of moisture called atmospheric rivers that will only intensify in a warming climate
California is taking a beating from what the National Weather Service has called a “seemingly never ending parade” of strong storm systems, which started late last December and are still coming. Called atmospheric rivers, they are long, narrow currents of exceptionally wet air that shoot across the ocean, capable of dumping massive volumes of rain or snow on landfall. Although these storms deliver much of the West’s precipitation, they also cause most of the region’s flooding, with associated economic damages as high as $1 billion a year…
How Much Will These Storms Help Relieve California’s Drought? – the New York Times
All the rain and snow are undoubtedly good news for California’s water supply, but they’re unlikely to end the drought altogether.
If you’re looking for a silver lining to the punishing storms sweeping California, look no further than the state’s snowpack.
As of Tuesday, California’s mountain snow held more than twice the water content that’s considered average for this time of year…
Latest atmospheric river takes aim at San Francisco Bay Area; more flooding possible: California storm updates – USA Today
While Southern California’s famous sunshine was finally making a return appearance Wednesday, the region’s counterparts to the north were not as fortunate as rain continued to pelt large swaths of water-logged terrain.
“The atmospheric river has refocused over northern and central California,” the National Weather Service said. “Heavy rain on saturated soils and gusty winds may lead to flooding and damaged or downed trees and power outages…”
Maps and charts show the awful impact of the California storms – the Washington Post
A parade of storms known as atmospheric rivers has dumped massive amounts of rain and snow on California since late December. The storms have produced deadly flooding, crippling snow, dangerous mudslides, severe thunderstorms and tornadoes.
Atmospheric rivers funnel extreme amounts of moisture over the oceans into narrow bands of clouds. As these clouds are transported over land, they can produce many hours of intense rain and snow…
Storm-ravaged California scrambles as fresh atmospheric river rolls in – the Guardian
Newest round of storms are expected to produce torrential downpours and gale force winds along the northern coast
California is facing a new round of brutal storms that will bring torrential downpours and gale force winds in the north as the state scrambles to clean up and repair widespread damage amid a break in the weather.
The state has been ravaged by a relentless string of storms that have killed at least 17 people..
California storm damage could top $1 billion – the New York Times
Major weather disasters have been striking the United States much more often in recent years as the global climate changes.
The damage from weeks of storms and flooding in California could exceed a billion dollars, according to the state’s emergency agency and private weather forecasters. That toll comes on the heels of 2022, one of the worst on record for large-scale weather and climate disasters around the United States..
Video: How climate change is intensifying the winter storms slamming California – Phys.Org
As another atmospheric river impacts California on January 4 and 5—with more rain forecast after that—Michael Wehner, a senior scientist in the Computational Research Division at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, discusses how climate change is increasing the rainfall from these drenching storms and how people can better prepare…