California Facing Another Round Of Storms And Rainfall After Last Week’s Battering

Topline

California is expected to face another round of stormy weather on Monday, with its central and southern regions at risk of excessive rainfall, according to the National Weather Service, as the state attempts to recover from the devastation caused by severe storms last week which left at least 19 people dead.

Key Facts

Parts of southern California including Los Angeles and San Diego could face heavy rains of up one to two inches, though the risk of rapid flooding in southern California and the Central Valley stands at 5% or more, which is defined as “marginal,” the National Wealth Service tweeted Monday morning.

According to the NWS’ Los Angeles office, “high surf & hazardous seas” could persist until Tuesday, which could lead to “minor coastal flooding,” in the area.

Further up north, higher elevations of California’s mountainous regions could face “heavy snow” as well, with one to two feet of snow forecast in the Sierra Nevada mountains.

The inclement weather is expected to finally relent by Monday night, which will be followed by a period of dry weather, according to the NWS Weather Prediction Center’s forecast.

A spell of dry weather will finally allow state authorities to carry out a proper assessment of the damage caused by the unrelenting stormy weather from the past two weeks, the Los Angeles Times reported.

In addition to more rainfall, concerns remain about landslides in areas that were heavily saturated by the rains—prompting some counties to carry out evacuations.

Big Number

402. That is the total number of landslides that have been reported across the state since December 30, according to the California Geological Survey.

Surprising Fact

More than 36,000 homes and businesses across California were without power as of Monday morning, according to PowerOutage.us, representing about 0.3% of the customers tracked statewide. Parts of the state’s power grid have been severely damaged during the storms over the past two weeks, at one point leaving 400,000 households and businesses without power.

Key Facts

Over the past two weeks, unrelenting heavy rains and flooding have claimed at least 19 lives across California. On Saturday, the Biden Administration declared the situation in California as a major disaster, following Governor Gavin Newsom’s (D-Calif.) request. The declaration opens the door for broader federal support in dealing with the disaster and makes federal funding available to residents of Merced, Sacramento and Santa Cruz who were impacted by the severe weather. One of the areas that was badly affected by the flooding last week was the posh coastal enclave of Montecito, which is home to several celebrities including Ellen Degeneres, Oprah Winfrey, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Amidst all the destruction, the heavy rains will provide some relief to Californians from the persistent drought that has plagued the state over the past few years.

Further Reading

California bracing for one final round of storms as officials assess damage (Los Angeles Times)

Another atmospheric river lashes California, renewing flooding concerns in state where storms have left at least 19 dead (CNN)