No rest for the weary: More flooding rain to eye California
AccuWeather meteorologists say that more rain is in the forecast for California, as additional storms from the Pacific are expected to reach the western United States in the coming days.
Multiple large and powerful storms have hit California since New Year's Eve, making for a disastrous start to 2023 for the state. The most recent California storm killed at least four people and dumped nearly 10 inches of rain on southern parts of the state and around 2 feet of snow in the Sierra Nevada.
Forecasters say the active pattern in the western U.S. will continue, and at least another pair of storms is set to pummel the region in the coming week. These additional waves of moisture will tap into a substantial atmospheric river, bringing additional flooding risks.
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The first storm is expected to set its sights more on the Northwest compared to its predecessors. The heaviest rain and mountain snow will focus on portions of Oregon, Washington and Northern California.
"While the wave of moisture aims for Oregon, parts of Central and Southern California will get a break from the heavy rainfall," explained AccuWeather Meteorologist Joseph Bauer.
The rain already overspread the northern portions of California on Wednesday and rounds of the same are forecast to persist through Friday. Widespread rainfall amounts of 1-3 inches are expected from southwestern British Columbia through western Washington, Oregon and Northern California. In southwestern Oregon and Northern California, several inches of rain are expected, and a few areas could receive more than 6 inches of additional rainfall.
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Cities such as Eureka, California, and Medford, Oregon, are expected to get rounds of heavy rainfall through Friday. Some areas farther south, like San Francisco and Sacramento, California, will receive some rain from this storm, but both metro areas are forecast to get at least a one-day reprieve Thursday.
"The active pattern [is] great news across the mountain ranges, in terms of building snowpack for later use; however, the heavy rain, gusty winds and snow will all be impactful to California," Bauer warned.
The relentless rainfall will renew the risks of flooding and landslides which could bring additional road closures. Precipitation is expected to fall as snow in the higher elevations, including in the Sierra Nevada and the Cascades. However, the fluctuation of rain and snow could bring an increased avalanche danger as well.
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The second storm will move into the West Coast in time for the weekend and may pack a punch throughout California.
"More precipitation is expected to spread across the majority of California again on Saturday," Bauer said about the second storm.
The storm is expected to bring more flooding risks to the region as well as another round of gusty winds. This combination, following the astounding rainfall amounts already recorded in the state, could bring more damage to a beleaguered state already reeling from numerous mudslides and flood impacts.
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"Tree damage and power outages could be more extensive with how wet the ground is already," Bauer said.
Through Jan. 11, downtown Los Angeles has picked up 5.28 inches of rain, which is 160 percent of normal for the city during the entire month. San Francisco has reported 5.89 inches of rain in the same time, which is 151 percent of normal for the month of January and more than four times the normal rainfall in the first 11 days of the month.
Airline travelers are likely to face another round of delays and possible cancellations at the major hubs of San Francisco and Los Angeles. Even airports that are not directly impacted by this storm can face a backlog of flights as crews and aircraft are displaced.
The weekend storm is likely to be rather quick-moving, with drier conditions expected by Sunday. However, rain and snow showers are forecast to expand into parts of Nevada, Utah and Arizona by the second half of the weekend.
Additional rounds of rain could be on the docket for California into the third week of the month as the current La Niña pattern continues to weaken, which would favor less intense storms overall and a general trend toward a northerly storm track along the West Coast. Still, some rounds of precipitation could sweep into the Golden State.
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