Storm-ravaged California scrambles as fresh atmospheric river rolls in – the Guardian

California Governor Gavin Newsom visits storm-ravaged Capitola Village, CA 1/10/23 © 2023 Shmuel Thaler - Santa Cruz Sentinel

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..

Suddenly, California Has Too Much Water – the Atlantic

The storm-swollen San Lorenzo River floods land along Ocean Street Extension in Santa Cruz, California at right, on Monday January 9, 2023. MAGAZINES OUT © 2023 Shmuel Thaler - Santa Cruz Sentinel

The state is being tossed between awful climate extremes.

In the Talmudic parable of Honi the Circle Maker, the drought-stricken people of Jerusalem send up a prayer that God should deliver them rain. And sure enough, after a few false starts, he does. Except that once the rain starts, it won’t let up. It pours and pours until the people are forced to flee to higher ground, their homes flooded by the answer to their prayer…

Soaked and Battered by Repeating Rainstorms, California Girds for More – the New York Times

Powerful waves continue to batter the Capitola Wharf Thursday morning after the storm destroyed a section of the structure © 2023 Shmuel Thaler - Santa Cruz Sentinel

Extreme weather has plagued many parts of the country this fall and winter. But few places have been as ravaged by the changing climate these last weeks as California.

An unrelenting series of pounding storms over at least 11 days has left no part of California untouched — flooding towns from north to south, loading inland mountains with snow and transforming the often dry Los Angeles River into a raging channel…

In Santa Cruz, the deluge came from the skies and the sea – The Washington Post

Waves breaking along Westcliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA © 2023 Gary Griggs

The California college town has faced wildfires in recent years. Now it’s adjusting to the reality of floods.
The surfers were loving it.
A set of waves was breaking Sunday just offshore from the main beach in this college town known for its mountain biking, laid-back atmosphere and famous surf spots. This wasn’t one of them, though. A parade of rainstorms had swelled the San Lorenzo River, pushing heaps of sand out of its mouth and building up a sandbar that was kicking up near-perfect waves…

Before-and-after photos show damage to Capitola after California storm – SF GATE

Storm damage in Capitola Village © 2023 Shmuel Thaler - Santa Cruz Sentinel

One of California’s prettiest little beach towns is in for a long recovery after brutal surf and whipping winds tore apart its picturesque village.

Capitola was hit hard last week by what meteorologists called a “bomb cyclone” storm. Waves were so intense that its historic wharf broke in half, and Capitola’s photogenic downtown was flooded with debris. Along with water damage, businesses and homes must contend with all manner of flotsam and jetsam that now litter the waterfront…

Coastal California is Ravaged by Multiple Atmospheric Rivers

An atmospheric river interacting with an area of low pressure is bringing heavy rain to California. (Image credit: NOAA via SPACE.com)

People tend to have a short disaster memory…What this storm is telling us is it’s time to think a little more long-term and make some decisions…We’ve been Band-Aiding things together for a long time.” – Gary Griggs

Gallery images courtesy of Shmuel Thaler / Santa Cruz Sentinel, Kim Steinhardt, and Gary Griggs

Major flooding in Santa Cruz Mountains as atmospheric river storm pounds Bay Area – Santa Cruz Sentinel

Storm drenches Santa Cruz County creating flooding, slides, slip outs, downed trees and wire © Shmuel Thaler - Santa Cruz Sentinel

San Lorenzo River hits second-highest level in 85 years, as Bay Area is soaked with another storm

The fifth atmospheric river storm in 10 days, an onslaught of soaking weather that has drenched Northern California since New Year’s Eve, hit hard again Monday, causing major flooding near Felton in the Santa Cruz Mountains, submerging Highway 101 near Gilroy and sending creeks and rivers to the tops of their banks…