Latest atmospheric river expected Monday night, renewing flood concerns in Sacramento region
Though the 10th Atmospheric to hit California this winter ended this weekend, another is right on its heels today.
The storm system is expected to hit the Sacramento area Monday through Tuesday, bringing with it more rain, snow in the mountains and flood hazards in the valleys. Here’s what happened this weekend and what to expect in the coming days.
Flooding concerns exist throughout Northern California
A flood watch is in effect as of noon for much of Northern California from north of Redding down to the Bay Area and Merced, including the Sacramento Valley and many areas in the foothills, and will run through Wednesday.
Parts of the interior can be flooded #NorCal A warm and wet storm Monday through Tuesday will bring widespread heavy rain, snow at high altitudes and gusty winds. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/fcsv3CAv0e
— NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) March 12, 2023
Craig Shoemaker, a weather forecaster with the Sacramento National Weather Service, said there is potential for flooding in small streams, adding that some rivers in the region could reach flood level when the main atmospheric flow band arrives Monday night.
“We expect quite a lot of flooding Monday through Tuesday when a lot of these rivers are going to peak,” Shoemaker said.
Some of the main areas at risk of flooding will be the same that were hardest hit during January’s storms, including the Cosumnes River near Michigan Bar, the Sacramento River near Ord Ferry and Tehama Bridge, and the Tuolumne River near Modesto.
“It’s a bit similar to January 1,” he said. “We don’t expect quite as much rain and the rivers aren’t as high, but it could be similar.”
This system also brings strong winds with gusts of up to 80 km/h, which are possible in the valleys and even in the foothills.
A tornado this weekend briefly landed in Tuolumne County near Tuttletownwhere large thunderstorms threw quarter-size hail across the region and caused flash flooding around Sonara and Jamestown.
Thousands were evacuated in Monterey County
Shoemaker said flooding was limited in the Sacramento area as the brunt of the storm this weekend hit farther south where areas in the central part of the state were struggling.
Across Monterey County, more than 8,500 people were evacuated Saturday, including about 1,700 residents — many of them Hispanic farm workers — from the unincorporated community of Pajaro.
“We are still in disaster preparedness mode,” Monterey County spokesman Nicholas Pasculli said Sunday. He said the county is deploying flood rescue teams across the county and is opening more shelters in anticipation of more flooding.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Saturday extended a declaration of emergency to six more counties, bringing the total to 40. President Joe Biden on Friday approved a presidential disaster declaration over the ongoing impact of recent storms.
Winter storm warning remains in the Sierra
This weekend’s storm was warmer than recent ones, which have hit many areas across the Sierra Nevada.
More than 20 inches of snow fell at a monitoring station in the Sierra Nevada in the past two days, and more is expected. Snow cover is now almost twice the average and the highest in about four decades, according to UC Berkeley’s Central Sierra Snow Lab.
While there were concerns the rain could melt enough of that snowpack to worsen flooding concerns, Shoemaker said the depth helped prevent it.
“The more snow you have, the more water gets absorbed into it, like a sponge,” he said.
This next round is expected to bring another 2 to 6 feet of snow over 6,500 feet, with almost a foot over 8,000 feet possible. A winter storm warning is in effect until Wednesday 5 p.m
Dryer weather is expected on Wednesday
The weather service’s Shoemaker said this latest storm is expected to ease on Wednesday, with a brief spell of dry conditions.
“It looks like there will be a lull in precipitation on Wednesday afternoon that will continue through Thursday,” he said.
Another system could come through next weekend, although it currently appears weaker than recent storms.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
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