Strong Winds and Flooding Feared in California as Storm Pummels State
LOS ANGELES — California, already battered by previous waves of heavy rain and snow, faced another soak on Tuesday as the latest “atmospheric flow” rushed in, wreaking havoc with high winds and flooding that closed roads and schools Turned off power and ordered evacuations in vulnerable areas.
The storm system, which moved in from the Pacific late Monday and swept across the state Tuesday morning, dropped more rain on an already waterlogged landscape. At higher elevations, the storm piled more feet of snow onto already groaning roofs or soaked existing snowpack.
The storm was expected to cause significant flooding as it spread across the Central Valley and into the Sierra Nevada foothills, the National Weather Service said — a threat that would last through Wednesday. Flooding could occur even in areas not normally prone to it, threatening life and property, the agency said.
The storm’s leading edge made landfall overnight in northern California and by late Tuesday morning had begun to shift the brunt of its impact south. Up to four inches of rain was forecast for the Los Angeles Basin, where “extensive street flooding” was likely, the weather service said.
Officials across the state issued warnings about vulnerable spots. Santa Barbara County has urged people living near the burn scars of recent wildfires to evacuate, saying those areas could face dangerous flooding and debris flows. Plumas County, north of Sacramento, warned residents living along the Feather River and other low-lying areas to be ready to move to higher ground.
In Oceano, a San Luis Obispo County neighborhood on which an evacuation warning is in place, residents said they were concerned a nearby levee, damaged by storms back in January, could fail, as reported Saturday, an am River Pajaro did.
“If it is, it’s going to flood here,” said Willie Reed, 44, as he sat on his porch watching the rain on Tuesday. Mr. Reed said that he and his fiancee had packed their bags and were ready to go. Near his home, ducks swam across a road already swamped by rain.
The American Red Cross opened a shelter for evacuees in San Luis Obispo, but no one but reporters had turned up there by midday. “We haven’t had a single person yet,” said Michael Turk, the shelter’s supervisor. People who can stay with family or friends will generally choose to, Mr Turk said, while “we’re here for the people who don’t have options”.
Portions of freeways and roads in some parts of the state have been closed by rock slides, flooding and downed trees, loosened by wind and rain, the California Department of Transportation said. Officials warned motorists not to drive where running water covered the sidewalk, noting that “as little as a foot of water can sweep a car off the road.”
Schools have been forced to close in a number of communities, particularly along the Central Coast.
The storm’s gusty winds — reaching more than 80 miles per hour in some areas — toppled trees and snapped power lines, causing widespread power outages. About 330,000 utility customers were without power in California as of Tuesday afternoon, according to PowerOutage.us. The winds caused flight delays at San Francisco International Airport, officials said.
The storm is the latest episode of severe weather in one of California’s cruelest winters on record. Previous storms have already forced some residents to evacuate ahead of flooding and trapped others in their homes under snow mountains.
The southern part of the Sierra Nevada now has what could be deepest snow cover according to Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles. Scientists say that this winter was already that third snowiest on record for the central Sierra.
Gov. Gavin Newsom this month declared states of emergency for several counties devastated by the recent storms, and President Biden has also approved a federal emergency declaration.
Katja Cengel contributed to coverage of Oceano and San Luis Obispo, California.