Storm hitting California on Wednesday may be worse than New Year’s deluge
As the storm train plows onto the California coast, it could bring a few inches of rain into already saturated soil over the next week, uprooting trees on Wednesday and causing widespread flooding in upstate state. .
"In conclusion this week, we expect similar or greater impacts for the January 4-5 storms compared to those that occurred on December 31," the National Weather Service said in its forecast. writing.
Ryan Wolbran, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service, said Monday’s expected light rain, dropping up to half an inch, would set the stage for the main event.
And residents will have to prepare for the worst on Tuesday — reflecting a New Year’s Eve storm that broke Central Valley levees, inches of water in basements, power outages, and dangerous flooding in roads.
With the exception of Wednesday, the winds will pick up further, with gusts of up to 50 mph possible.
“It’s a good bet to see more trees knocked down and power lines affected,” said Walbrun. “The soil is very saturated.”
Visibility was up to 3+ inches in the bay area and up to 6 inches in the coastal hills.
Walbran said the heaviest rain is expected to begin in the North Bay from late Wednesday afternoon through sunrise Thursday, with a rapid increase in creeks, creeks and rivers.
Total rainfall will be significantly lower than the New Year’s Eve storm, and while San Francisco will have near-record daily rainfall, it could make things worse, said UCLA climate scientist Danielle Swain. I’m here.
“You don’t need historically significant storms to have significant impact,” he said, noting high saturation across the region. “This time there will be less rain and more flooding.”
The National Weather Service said rivers, including the Russian River near Guerneville, are nearing flooding stages as this third atmospheric river hits the state.
State emergency officials are preparing the following systems to control flooding in the most at-risk areas: more than 3.7 million sandbags, 10,000 rolls of plastic, 400,000 tons of rocks, and other supplies are being pushed out.
Bryan Ferguson, a spokesman for the California Governor’s Emergency Services Agency, said, “Already having large amounts of water in systems, grounds, levees and streams increases the risk of the next storm.
Of particular concern are landslide-prone wildfire-burned areas and communities that have historically dealt with floods, such as the Russian River Valley and the Santa Cruz Mountains in Sonoma County.
“We will be as prepared as we can, but ultimately it will depend on what Mother Nature does,” Ferguson said.
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. has been providing power to thousands of people affected by the New Year’s Eve storm, and about 29,000 customers, including about 4,400 in the Bay Area, received power on Monday. Not supplied.
Utilities said they are preparing for Wednesday’s storm by removing trees from power lines and preparing electrical equipment throughout Northern California to restore power more quickly.
A period of wet weather is expected to continue over the weekend, after a short break on Thursday and late Friday.
“Nothing catastrophic on the horizon,” but some notable storms that disrupt commutes and daily life are possible, making California one of the wettest places on earth. Swain said they would be one.
“Either way, California wins gold this week,” he added.
Meanwhile, the recent wet weather has put a distorted view on drought-weary Golden State residents.
“During the drought, we waited for the storm to come[on Monday],” he said, adding that half an inch of rain would have been a godsend.
He pointed out that the state is still in drought and La Niña conditions, known for its dry winters, still persist in the Pacific.
“We need water. We need rain,” he said. “You never know when Mother Nature will stop.”
Staff writer Joaquin Palamino contributed to this story.
Jill Tucker is a staff writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @jilltucker