SAN DIEGO — Thirty-six million Californians from Sonoma County to the U.S.-Mexico border are bracing for weekend flooding as the state faces two more powerful ones. early–February storms.
Forecasters say that the rain and snow falling in the frontal area will be enhanced by the atmospheric river, the precipitation will fire. This atmospheric tea is taken from tropical climates, making it “Pineapple Express”.
“All Californians in the path of the storm, especially those in Southern California, should prepare now,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement Friday.
Forecasters said dangerous flooding is possible across the state through Tuesday, with 6 inches or more of rain expected along the Central Coast and coastal Los Angeles County.
According to NBC News forecasters, if they hit the high end of those estimates, they could break all-time rainfall records and even monthly rainfall records.
The storm was expected to hit the Bay Area as early as Saturday, then move up the coast and most recently affect San Diego.
The Bay Area may also be affected by damaging winds. The National Weather Service office in Monterey said winds of about 70 mph could whip the Central Coast community of Big Sur.
Flooding is possible
Forecasters say an upper-level low-pressure system could linger over California after it makes landfall late Saturday, making its flooding potential even more dangerous.
Ventura County released evacuation orders Saturday to the unincorporated area in Ojai. Officials say possible flooding, debris and mudslides could make roads in the area impassable. Evacuation warnings are in effect for four other communities in the county.
Santa Barbara County officials issued an evacuation alert Friday night two fields, including one from brush fires and another in the city of Santa Barbara. The warnings mean residents should be prepared to go outside at a moment’s notice and consider leaving as soon as possible, the county said in a statement.
Flood watches issued when conditions are favorable for flooding will cover the coasts of Sonoma, Marin, San Francisco, Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties and the entire coast of Southern California. Some classes start on Saturday and run through at least the end of the weekend.
The University of California, San Diego’s Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes predicts that the atmospheric river will be rated 3 – “strong” on a scale of 1-5, which mimics that used for hurricanes.
He said there is a 40% chance of flooding along the central coast.
Newsom’s office said 8,300 state employees are on standby to respond to emergencies and damage related to the storm. Twenty teams of swift water and urban search and rescue personnel moved up and down the state.
‘When in doubt, stay home’
The forecast for the Los Angeles area includes life-threatening flooding, damaging winds and heavy mountain snow, the National Weather Service office in Oxnard said.
“Many roads/highways will be completely submerged. Many trees will fall. There is a possibility of power outage. There is still time to prepare,” the office said Type in X.
The city of Los Angeles is prepared for severe flooding, Mayor Karen Bass said at a press conference Friday evening. “It’s a comprehensive effort,” he said.
Police, fire and rescue personnel will be on standby, additional emergency and homeless shelters will open Saturday evening, street crews are preparing to quickly clear trees and branches, and water and power crews are ready to respond to outages.
Perhaps the most effective preparation was in the hands of residents, he said: “When in doubt, stay home.”
According to the National Weather Service, the central Sierra Nevada mountain range, which controls avalanches, is expected to see 2 to 3 inches of snow per hour through Sunday.
Weather service office covering Lake Tahoe area “Avoid all travel on Sunday” he said.
National Weather Service Chief Meteorologist Alex Tardy said another system could hit Southern California on Thursday video briefing on Friday.
Classes have been cancelled
Santa Barbara County already has nine school districts He canceled classes on Monday ahead of a violent storm.
School officials made the decision after County Sheriff Bill Brown ordered all schools in Santa Barbara to be closed Monday due to an anticipated security concern.
The largest school district of the year, Consolidated Santa Barbarawill determine the status of Tuesday’s classes after checking conditions at each school on Monday.
There are no school closings planned in other California counties.
A wet start to the year
The state has barely had time to dry out after storms brought heavy rain and some flooding to Southern California in January and this week.
The hammer blows began in earnest on January 22nd with the wettest January day on record in San Diego. rare and devastating floods in urban neighborhoods away from the coastline. The county medical examiner said three deaths in January may have been related to the storm.
A front brought 6 to 9 inches of snow to the mountains of Southern California later this week, federal forecasters said, and flooded a street in Long Beach. At least four drivers were rescued– the authorities said.
A portion of the Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach was closed Thursday due to flooding and reopened Friday morning. California Department of Transportation. In the south, parts Community of Leucadia The first of the two fronts in the city of Encinitas was flooded.
Parts of San Diego County received about 3 inches of rain, a rare amount for the relatively dry southwest corner of the state.
San Diego topped normal rainfall for this time of year, with nearly an inch recorded Thursday, Tardy said, with February and most of March still ahead of the two wettest months of the year.