California Grapples With Atmospheric River Floods

Crews assess storm damage, which washed out North Main Street in Soquel, Calif., on March 10, 2023. Nic Coury/AP Photo

More than 9,000 people have been ordered to evacuate, and over 54,000 are without power, as parts of California grapple with yet another atmospheric river system.

Heavy rain, thunderstorms, and strong winds from the system have resulted in floods in several major highways and small rural communities in the southern and central regions of the state.

On Friday, the National Weather Service (NSW) warned the mountains across a significant part of Central California could experience “copious amounts of heavy snow” with a high risk of flooding from excessive rainfall on snowpack and already-soaked soil.

This marks the state’s tenth winter atmospheric river system resulting in significant rain and snowfall.

State transportation officials said Friday they removed so much snow from the roadways in February that it would be enough to fill the iconic Rose Bowl 100 times.

The most recent storm hit while communities in the San Bernardino Mountains were still recovering from previous snowstorms that claimed the lives of at least 12 individuals since Feb. 23, the Los Angeles Times reported.

At a press conference on Friday, Nancy Ward, director of the California governor’s Office of Emergency Services, said over 9,400 individuals have been ordered to evacuate, more than 54,000 are currently without power, and two deaths were reported by the coroner’s office due to the storm.

With storms predicted to persist through mid-March, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Friday in 21 counties to aid in disaster response and recovery. This proclamation follows the state of emergency Newsom declared in 13 counties earlier in the month.

On Friday, President Joe Biden also granted an emergency declaration for California, authorizing FEMA to provide assistance to the state and local authorities in response to the storms. Emergency officials have advised people to avoid driving on the roads and pay close attention to flash flood warnings.

The storm, referred to as a “Pineapple Express” due to the warm subtropical moisture it carried from close to Hawaii across the Pacific, was causing the lower areas of the vast snowpack formed in California’s mountains to melt.

Vehicles drive as snow falls during another winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains in Mammoth Lakes, Calif., on March 10, 2023. Mario Tama/Getty Images

Utilizing the Rainfall for Farmers

Amid the ongoing storms and flooding in California, Newsom has signed an executive order to facilitate the use of floodwater to replenish underground aquifers for farmers and water agencies.

State reservoirs, which were previously at dangerously low levels due to drought, are now above average for this time of year, leading officials to release water from dams to manage floods and create space for further rainfall.

“California is deploying every tool we have to protect communities from the relentless and deadly storms battering our state,” Newsom said in a statement on March 9. “In these dangerous and challenging conditions, it is crucial that Californians remain vigilant and follow all guidance from local emergency responders.”

According to forecasters, snow levels in the Sierra Nevada, which supplies about a third of California’s water, are currently over 180 percent of the average level for April 1, when it’s typically at its highest. The snowpack at high elevations is expected to be able to handle the rain, but there is a possibility that the snow below 4,000 feet (1,219 meters) could start to melt, potentially adding to the risk of flooding.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.