On Saturday, the most destructive of a string of storm systems passed through California, threatening snowfalls of up to six feet (two meters) in places and heavy flooding in areas that were already flooded.
On Saturday, the most destructive of a string of storm systems passed through California, threatening snowfalls of up to six feet (two meters) in places and heavy flooding in areas that were already flooded.
The National Weather Service (NWS) stated that the most recent system would bring “heavy lower-elevation rain, significant mountain snow, and strong winds” and “another surge of Pacific moisture” on Monday.
The lower Salinas River valley, an important agricultural region south of the San Francisco Bay, was predicted to experience “disastrous flooding.”
Even though the rain continued under cloudy skies, an AFP journalist saw the Salinas River overflow its banks in numerous places, sometimes covering farm fields for hundreds of yards (meters).
Despite warnings from authorities, the majority of residents in the community of Spreckels, which is just a few hundred yards from the river, had chosen not to evacuate.
Robert Zagajeski, who was out walking his dog in the light rain, said, “It looks like we might have missed kind of the worst of it.”
From his humble home near the river, farm worker Erick Diaz, 30, could see the flooded fields a few miles away. He had also remained in spite of the evacuation orders.
He stated, “I have nowhere to go, and for the time being everything is fine.”
However, Californians were cautioned by Governor Gavin Newsom that they were not yet safe: After visiting storm-affected residents on Saturday, he declared, “We’re not done.”
He advised Californians to exercise “common sense over the course of the next 24 to 48 hours” and urged them to remain vigilant.
The National Weather Service reported that as of Saturday evening, nearly 26,000 Californians were still under a flood watch, and tens of thousands had been ordered to leave their homes.
After years of drought, the recent storms were initially welcomed, but officials claim that they have now brought about “disastrous” flooding.
According to poweroutage.us, approximately 20,000 homes were without power around 23:30 GMT.
It is known that the storm was the cause of death for at least 19 people.
Farmworker Manuel Paris, who is 58 years old and works in the area near Salinas, told AFP, “This place was hit hard by the drought over the past years.” We are no longer accustomed to this much rain.
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), an additional two to three inches (5.0 to 7.5 centimeters) of rain could bring about new flooding and mudslides. Additionally, heavy winds could be blowing across central and coastal California at speeds of up to 50 miles (80 kilometers) per hour, and parts of the Sierra Nevada could see three to six feet of snow.
Risky travel The most populous state in the United States has experienced three weeks of near-record rainfall, with the Salinas Valley among the worst-hit areas.
Forecasters issued a warning on Friday that the entire city of Salinas, which is home to 160,000 people, could be affected by flooding and that the Monterey Peninsula could be cut off.
However, a journalist for AFP reported on Saturday that the city had largely escaped damage.
Workers have rushed to clean up some of the mess between storms, using heavy machinery to remove fallen trees or rockslides and shoveling mud from roads even in the heart of Los Angeles.
An AFP journalist saw tractors fighting to pump floodwaters back into the river in fields near Salinas. The effort was being hindered by the recent downpour.
Additionally, according to forecasters, the atmospheric river pattern that is associated with the unstable weather in the West of the United States is not complete.
On a three-day holiday weekend in honor of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., heavy snow was making travel dangerous or impossible over the mountains. Because of the increased risk of avalanches, officials advised people to stay at home.
The resort area of Lake Tahoe posted images of dozens of stalled vehicles lined up on a road as a result of a severe blizzard.
Drivers found in submerged vehicles, individuals struck by falling trees, and a husband and wife killed in a rockfall are among those who have passed away over the past three weeks.
In California, snowstorms are not uncommon. However, global warming is making them more wild and muddy.
At the same time, for a number of years, the western United States has been becoming more arid.
