Atmospheric river comes to SoCal
Millions of Americans are currently facing record rainfall, potentially “life-thretaening” flooding, and strong winds as an atmospheric river hammers parts of Southern California.
On Sunday, California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency across eight counties of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego.
In Los Angeles, the emergency covered the arena where stars had gathered for the Grammy Awards on Sunday night.
While it went without a weather-related hitch, the National Weather Service revealed that downtown LA smashed its rainfall record that day, with 4.1 inches falling in a single day in February. The previous record was 2.55 inches recorded back in 1927.
By 5am PST Monday morning, 560,000 Californians were plunged into darkness as the storm downed power lines and brought outages to several counties, according to Poweroutage.us.
The NWS Los Angeles office said that flash flood warnings will continue for Los Angeles County and Ventura County until 9am PST. While LA will continue to be hardest hit on Monday morning, the storm is then forecast to move through the San Diego area by the evening.
Over 560,000 homes without power
As of 5am PST Monday morning, 560,000 Californians were plunged into darkness as the storm downed power lines and brought outages to several counties, according to Poweroutage.us.
The worst-hit area was Mendocino County where 23,475 of 53,755 customers were without power – equivalent to 44 per cent of all residents.
Fallen trees and power lines block a road in Pebble Beach, California, on Sunday
(Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
Rachel Sharp5 February 2024 13:40
Flash flood warnings continue in LA and Ventura Counties
The NWS Los Angeles office said that flash flood warnings will continue for Los Angeles County and Ventura County until 9am PST.
While LA will continue to be hardest hit on Monday morning, the storm is then forecast to move through the San Diego area by the evening.
Rachel Sharp5 February 2024 13:20
PHOTOS: Boat washed ashore as atmospheric river storm hits California
A wave hits a boat which washed ashore as a powerful long-duration atmospheric river storm, the second in less than a week, impacts California on February 4, 2024 in Santa Barbara, California
(Getty Images)
Nate Stephenson takes photos of a boat which washed ashore as a powerful long-duration atmospheric river storm, the second in less than a week, impacts California on February 4, 2024 in Santa Barbara, California
(Getty Images)
People walk past a boat that washes ashore during an atmospheric river weather event in Santa Barbara, California USA, 04 February 2024
(EPA)
Sand blows as a wave hits a boat which washed ashore as a powerful long-duration atmospheric river storm, the second in less than a week, impacts California on February 4, 2024 in Santa Barbara, California
(Getty Images)
Nate Stephenson takes photos of a boat that washed ashore as a powerful long-duration atmospheric river storm, the second in less than a week, impacts California on February 4, 2024 in Santa Barbara, California
(Getty Images)
Gustaf Kilander5 February 2024 12:00
Wind gusts of 138mph recorded in California
Heavy rains and winds are battering California tonight with gusts of over 100mph recorded in several regions.
The Ward Mountain region has recorded 138mph of wind gusts, according to Jesse Ferrell, meteorologist at AccuWeather. While Upper Bull has seen 120 mph winds.
Stuti Mishra5 February 2024 11:30
Map shows peak wind gusts between Saturday and Sunday reaching as high as 75mph
Gustaf Kilander5 February 2024 11:00
In Photos: Heavy rains and winds topple trees in California
EMTs assist a man who was hit by a fallen palm tree
(REUTERS)
Workers clear a tree that fell onto a home during heavy wind and rain on Sunday in San Jose, California
(AP)
Workers clear an area of a fallen tree in downtown San Francisco, California
(REUTERS)
Stuti Mishra5 February 2024 10:30
‘This storm is cranking off the coast and behaving largely as expected’
“There’s lots of folks saying, ‘why hasn’t the rain been heavier at my house? Why hasn’t the wind been stronger?’ In a lot of cases, that’s just because it hasn’t arrived yet at specific locations,” he added.
“Just to reiterate, a lot of folks are saying ‘oh it’s sunny and 70 degrees, partly cloudy in Southern California. This storm was a bust’. No, it’s still just 500 miles to your west,” Dr Swain said.
“It is absolutely coming. If anything, it looks a little bit wetter even than it did yesterday. And those were already some pretty extreme totals,” he added.
Gustaf Kilander5 February 2024 10:00
Large amounts of rain and snowfall until at least the middle of next week
The storm is expected to bring large amounts of rain and snowfall until at least the middle of next week.
She noted that the size of the storm may mean that five states in the west may feel its impact, but added that California is “expected to bear the brunt of the wind, rain and snow”.
Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski noted that “Public awareness and storm readiness are strongly encouraged as life-threatening conditions may evolve in some communities”.
Population centres that were expected to be affected included San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Las Vegas.
“The San Bernardino Mountains outside of Los Angeles are projected to be a hot spot in terms of rainfall totals,” meteorologist Adam Douty said.
Gustaf Kilander5 February 2024 09:00
#Southern #California #sees #lifethreatening #flooding #atmospheric #river #Updates
