California is facing a severe weather crisis as a powerful atmospheric river has unleashed life-threatening flooding, power outages and evacuation orders across the state. At least two people have died, and President Biden issued a federal emergency declaration for California, granting residents and businesses remandation rights to file claims with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The storm system, which was ranked Level 3 on the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes 1-5 atmospheric river scale, has brought over 24 hours nearly 10 inches of rainfall to parts of the central coast. This led to reports of downed trees, impassable roads, and flooding due to rocks and debris stretching from Santa Cruz to San Luis Obispo. A key road washed out in Soquel, leaving residents of foothill communities stranded.
Videos captured in Kernville and Springville showed the waters overflowing over their banks, swallowing trees and surrounding waterside communities. The deluge raised concerns that influxes could overwhelm some reservoirs, including Lake Oroville, the second largest reservoir in California. State officials opened the main spillway of the Oroville Dam in anticipation of a huge influx of water.
The active-weather pattern with repeated rounds of heavy precipitation is expected to continue next week, bringing the risk of structural collapses and avalanches. Avalanche warnings have been issued around Lake Tahoe and Mammoth Lakes, Calif., as well as Idaho. At elevations above 8,000 feet, an additional six or more feet of snow could fall into the weekend, on top of the 16 feet that have fallen in the past two weeks.
The California National Guard assisted in 56 rescues after a levee breach flooded the small community of Pajaro in Monterey County. In the San Francisco Bay Area, commuters have had to navigate around the flooding, which closed several roads, including a major freeway in Oakland. As of Saturday afternoon, about 32,000 customers remained without power in the state after about 55,000 customers were affected on Friday.
Forecasters anticipate that the relentless rain will last through the coming week. Additional moderate to heavy downpours are expected to fan through central and northern California late Saturday and into Sunday, with another atmospheric river from near Hawaii to come ashore on Tuesday. Flood watch watches remain in effect for locations below 4,000 feet elevation in central and northern California.
The devastating effects of this powerful atmospheric river are long-reaching and while the state is bracing for more extreme weather conditions, it is essential that all Californians take the necessary precautions to protect their health and safety during this dangerous storm.