Mono-Rain Doom Descends upon California’s Wilted terrains

California, still reeling from the weekend’s destructive flooding and powerful winds, was bracing itself for another fierce storm to hit the state on Monday. Thousands of residents were left without power, and over 1,500 people evacuated after a California river breached its levy. The impending atmospheric river storm is expected to produce “very heavy rainfall”, particularly in northern and central regions, accompanied by heavy mountain snowfall and strong winds. As the situation unfolds, creeks and streams are expected to rise out of their banks, leading to extensive street flooding and catastrophic flooding of creeks and rivers.

As the state digests the aftermath of the weekend’s destruction, over 12,700 Californians were without electricity as of Sunday noon, with the majority being Pacific Gas and Electric Company customers. The outages resulted from storms that targeted the northern and central regions of the state. At least two fatalities have been confirmed, while 9,400 individuals were placed under evacuation orders, according to Nancy Ward, director of the California office of emergency services.

Governor Gavin Newsom’s appeal for a presidential emergency declaration received approval from President Joe Biden on Friday, paving the way for disaster relief in dozens of counties. Newsom also signed an executive order to enable farmers and water agencies to harness floodwater to replenish underground aquifers. However, the recent deluge has brought unintended consequences, such as overflowing reservoirs and concerns over snow-heavy roofs collapsing due to warmer rains.

In the Sierra Nevada mountains, snow levels have reached an astonishing 180% of the April average, prompting forecasters to warn of potential roof collapses. As California endures its 10th atmospheric river this winter, the reality of a perpetual winter has fully set in, leaving residents to face an uncertain future. With the storm set to sweep across the state on Monday, Californians can only hope that the worst of the situation is yet to come.