Harrowing Images Show California’s Latest Flooding
Esteban Sepulveda holds his dog Milo while leaving his home in Pajaro Valley, California, on March 12, 2023.
An atmospheric river storm is currently sweeping through the West Coast of the US, causing heavy flooding and hurricane-like winds in the Central and Northern California areas.
Atmospheric river storms carry water vapor through the sky, and they form by picking up moisture and warm moist air in the tropics. When the storm reaches cooler regions and makes landfall, the climate causes the water to cool and turns it into rain and sometimes even snow, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
As of Wednesday morning, just under 200,000 people in California had lost power, according to PowerOutage.us. In addition, around 30 million people across the state are under flood alerts, according to CNN, and several counties have evacuation alerts.
This is the 11th atmospheric river to hit California this winter, following one that struck the state over the weekend, which left thousands without power and two people dead.
Floodwaters surround homes and vehicles in the community of Pajaro in Monterey County, California, on March 13, 2023. Built in the late 1940s to provide flood protection, the Pajaro River's levee has been a known risk for decades, with several breaches in the 1990s. Emergency repairs to a section of the berm were undertaken in January.
Several schools and roads have closed due to flooding, and as of Tuesday, many locations along major rivers were overflowing. In San Francisco, glass from a window of a high-rise building fell due to the high winds, per CNN.
According to the National Weather Service, this won’t be the last atmospheric river of the season.
“After this latest high-impact atmospheric river sweeps through California by Wednesday, a few days of relief from any heavy precipitation is expected,” the National Weather Service tweeted on Monday. “However, the extended range outlook from the Climate Prediction Center forecasts another atmospheric river arriving next week.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has called a state of emergency to support storm response and relief efforts in around 43 counties across the state. Last week, President Biden issued a Presidential Emergency Declaration allowing federal assistance to support California’s storm response efforts.
Patrick Cerruti, left, and his wife, Pamela Cerruti take coins out of washing machines inside the flooded Pajaro Coin Laundry in Pajaro, California, on March 14, 2023.
A commercial area affected by floods is seen after days of heavy rain in Pajaro, California, on March 14, 2023.
Strawberry fields and roads fill with floodwaters as the Salinas River overflows, breaking through levies during an atmospheric river storm in Salinas, California, on March 14, 2023.
A California license plate is seen after days of heavy rain in Pajaro, California, on March 14, 2023.
A local resident walks through a flooded area as he rescues his birds in Pajaro, California, on March 14, 2023.
This aerial view shows the broken levee in Pajaro, California, on March 13, 2023.
Rocio Morando holds her son David Morando, 3, in front of their home in Pajaro Valley, California, on March 12, 2023.
A truck drives through an area affected by floods after days of heavy rain in Pajaro, California, on March 14, 2023.
Water rescue officer Gino Degraff walks through flooded Pajaro neighborhood streets checking on residents who have not evacuated since a levy breech flooded the community, on March 13, 2023.
Floodwaters fill a parking lot in front of loading docks in Pajaro, California, on March 14, 2023.
This aerial view shows a flooded neighborhood in Pajaro, California, on March 13, 2023.
A mailbox sits in floodwaters in Pajaro, California, on March 14, 2023.
