As California continues to grapple with the relentless torrent of rain and snow, it seems like the state is doomed to be stuck in a never-ending cycle of extreme weather. On Friday, another atmospheric river storm crashed into the state, bringing with it torrential downpours, thunderstorms, and gusty winds. The National Weather Service issued a slew of flash flood warnings and watches, covering areas from the San Francisco Bay to the central coast and the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys.
Residents of snow-covered mountain towns in the Sierra Nevada foothills are bracing themselves for another round of heavy precipitation, which has already left them struggling to dig out from earlier storms. The warmer rains that fell in recent days have added weight to already snow-heavy roofs, threatening more damage to towns and buildings.
The National Weather Service warned of a heightened risk of excessive rainfall for southern California on Friday night and again across central and northern California on Saturday night into Sunday. The system is also expected to dump more snow at higher elevations, further contributing to an already enormous snowpack.
Travel across the stormy parts of the state will be difficult and dangerous, with officials urging residents to remain vigilant and follow guidance from local emergency responders. Governor Gavin Newsom declared states of emergency in 21 counties, in addition to earlier declarations for 13 counties, and the California department of water resources activated its flood operations center.
California’s Brutally Wet Winter Showers No Signs of LetupThe next storm brought Joe Biden’s approval of a presidential emergency declaration to authorize federal assistance, which will help California deploy every tool it has to protect communities from the relentless and deadly storms. As the state continues to face the severe weather events, officials are working to deliver prescription medications to residents who are still unable to leave their homes and provide supplies to those affected by the storms.
The severe storms have been a dramatic shift for a state that spent the last several years beset by drought. Reservoirs that just recently bore stark bathtub rings are now being approved for releases as fears of flooding mount. Releases were scheduled to begin late Friday morning from the state’s second-largest reservoir, Lake Oroville, which collects water from the Feather River in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada.
The lake level has risen about 178ft since 1 December, and the outflows are intended to ensure there is room for heavy runoff. Officials expect a small spill at the lake but emphasized that the spillway is fully operational and ready for higher releases as needed.
As the state copes with the devastating storms, state climatologist Michael Anderson said a third atmospheric river is already in the forecast for early next week, and possibly a fourth. California appeared to be “well on its way to a fourth year of drought” before the early winter series of storms, Anderson said. “We’re in a very different condition now.”