California atmospheric river and bomb cyclone update
It has been a deadly and destructive start to the year in California, as a series of severe storms slammed the state this week, toppling trees, submerging streets and sending water cascading into homes and businesses.
The latest storm hit hard on Thursday – a powerful “atmospheric river” that brought with it hurricane-force winds and torrents of rain. At least two deaths have been reported in connection with the latest storm, including a child whose home was hit by a falling tree in Sonoma county. By Thursday morning, more than 163,500 people were without power, with little reprieve in sight.
The rain event left considerable damage in its wake as the saturated soils and inundated systems struggled to contain several consecutive deluges. Trees and infrastructure were rocked by heavy winds, while strewn debris and rock slides closed highways and roads in several areas. Gusts topped 100 mph in some parts of the state as waves churned to historic heights, surging up to 60ft in Point Reyes. Flood watches covered a staggering 90% of California’s population – 35 million people – on Thursday.
Bomb Cyclone: Chaos in California transformers explode, trees down, torrential rains, thousands without power.
One death already reported due to a fallen tree
Two dead as ‘bomb cyclone’ brings heavy winds and rain to California
It has been a deadly and destructive start to the year in California, as a series of severe storms slammed the state this week, toppling trees, submerging streets and sending water cascading into homes and businesses.
The latest storm hit hard on Thursday – a powerful “atmospheric river” that brought with it hurricane-force winds and torrents of rain. At least two deaths have been reported in connection with the latest storm, including a child whose home was hit by a falling tree in Sonoma county. By Thursday morning, more than 163,500 people were without power, with little reprieve in sight.
The rain event left considerable damage in its wake as the saturated soils and inundated systems struggled to contain several consecutive deluges. Trees and infrastructure were rocked by heavy winds, while strewn debris and rock slides closed highways and roads in several areas. Gusts topped 100 mph in some parts of the state as waves churned to historic heights, surging up to 60ft in Point Reyes. Flood watches covered a staggering 90% of California’s population – 35 million people – on Thursday.
Two dead as ‘bomb cyclone’ brings heavy winds and rain to California
Officials order evacuations in high-risk coastal area in latest in rapid series of ‘atmospheric rivers’ to hit state
www.theguardian.com
Bomb Cyclone: Chaos in California transformers explode, trees down, torrential rains, thousands without power.
One death already reported due to a fallen tree