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Latest storm to hit California leaves two dead as more flooding expected Latest storm to hit California leaves two dead as more flooding expected
(about 3 hours later)
Pacific storm brought damaging winds and more rain and snow to saturated state, as heavy rain and snowmelt could cause floodingPacific storm brought damaging winds and more rain and snow to saturated state, as heavy rain and snowmelt could cause flooding
A strong late-season Pacific storm that brought damaging winds and more rain and snow to saturated California was blamed for two deaths and forecasters said additional flooding was possible on Wednesday in parts of the state. The start of spring offered little reprieve for California as another atmospheric river doused the saturated state with more rain and snow. Two deaths have been linked to the storms, after thrashing winds toppled trees and branches onto vehicles, and thousands were left in the dark across the state due to widespread power outages.
Tuesday’s storm focused most of its energy on central and southern parts of the state, bringing threats of heavy runoff and mountain snowfall. In the north, intense hail was reported in Sacramento, the state capital. California’s unexpected siege of wet weather after years of drought has loaded mountains with so much snow that roofs have been crushed and crews have struggled to keep highways clear of avalanches. Tuesday’s storm, which came on the first full day of spring following the state’s extraordinary winter, was the result of a Pacific low pressure system interacting with California’s 12th atmospheric river since late December, according to the National Weather Service, which warned that flood risks remain across the region into Wednesday.
Locally heavy rain and snowmelt may cause flooding on Wednesday in southern California and central Arizona, the National Weather Service warned. On Tuesday, some residents of north-central Arizona were told to prepare to evacuate because of rising water levels in rivers and basins. But along with a slew of dangers posed by the rising waters, the storms unleashed furious winds that wreaked havoc across the state, with warnings issued by officials from San Francisco to San Diego.
Trees and power lines were reported downed in the San Francisco Bay Area. An Amtrak commuter train carrying 55 passengers struck a downed tree and derailed near the East Bay village of Porta Costa. The train remained upright and nobody was injured, Amtrak and fire officials said. “Trees are down everywhere,” resident Frank Kuhr said as he waited for officials to remove large redwoods that were blocking a highway near his home in Santa Cruz county. Gusts up to 80 mph (122kph) blew through the sodden mountain communities pulling down branches and power lines. “The wind has been unbelievable,” he said. “Branches were flying through the air, and folks could hear trees just falling and cracking.”
In the Bay Area community of Portola Valley, a man driving a sewer truck was killed when a tree fell on to the vehicle, the California highway patrol said. And in the community of Rossmoor, a driver was injured and a passenger died after a large tree fell on to a car, the Contra Costa county fire protection district said.In the Bay Area community of Portola Valley, a man driving a sewer truck was killed when a tree fell on to the vehicle, the California highway patrol said. And in the community of Rossmoor, a driver was injured and a passenger died after a large tree fell on to a car, the Contra Costa county fire protection district said.
In the Monterey Bay region, a severe windstorm located over the ocean blasted Santa Cruz county with wind gusts up to 80mph (129km/h) at midday. Along the coastline of the Monterey Bay national marine sanctuary, ocean foam blew across the roadways like large snowflakes.In the Monterey Bay region, a severe windstorm located over the ocean blasted Santa Cruz county with wind gusts up to 80mph (129km/h) at midday. Along the coastline of the Monterey Bay national marine sanctuary, ocean foam blew across the roadways like large snowflakes.
Wind gusts reached 76mph in Santa Cruz mountain communities, including Boulder Creek. In San Francisco the billowing winds were so strong pedestrians struggled to walk, and may have even caused a high-rise window to shatter, raining glass on the street below. “High winds have led to more shards of falling window glass from another building at 50 California,” supervisor Aaron Peskin said in a tweet, thanking emergency responders. A big rig truck also toppled Tuesday afternoon, blocking the east-bound lanes of the Bay Bridge into the evening.
Resident Frank Kuhr waited for hours on Tuesday afternoon at a downtown supermarket for crews to remove large redwoods that were blocking a highway. “Trees are down everywhere,” Kuhr said. “The wind has been unbelievable. Branches were flying through the air, and folks could hear trees just falling and cracking. Across the Bay, near the village of Porta Costa, an Amtrak commuter train carrying 55 passengers struck a downed tree and derailed. The train remained upright and nobody was injured, Amtrak and fire officials said.
“This one’s a doozy,” Kuhr said. Threats from the storm will weaken through Wednesday, the NWS reported, but risks remain for Californians, especially as the weather warms and the state’s significant snowpack begins to melt.
Some 133,000 customers were without electricity early Wednesday throughout the state, according to PowerOutage.us. The Mammoth Mountain resort in the eastern Sierra Nevada announced that it will remain open for skiing and snowboarding at least through the end of July. With a season-to-date snowfall of 634in (16.1 meters) at the main lodge, it was likely just one storm away from breaking the all-time record of 668in (16.9 meters) set in the 2010-2011 season.
The National Weather Service said Tuesday’s storm, which came on the first full day of spring following the state’s extraordinary winter, was a Pacific low pressure system interacting with California’s 12th atmospheric river since late December. More than 114,200 households and businesses were still without power by Wednesday afternoon. Homes across the mountainous middle are still buried in white as displaced residents in flooded areas along the coast and in the central valley wait for waters to recede. Flood advisories remain in affect, even as the weather lulls in California, as rain and snowmelt may cause flooding on Wednesday in southern California and central Arizona, the National Weather Service warned.
California’s unexpected siege of wet weather after years of drought also included February blizzards powered by arctic air. The Associated Press contributed reporting
The storms have unleashed flooding and loaded mountains with so much snow that roofs have been crushed and crews have struggled to keep highways clear of avalanches.
The Mammoth Mountain resort in the eastern Sierra Nevada announced that it will remain open for skiing and snowboarding at least through the end of July.
With a season-to-date snowfall of 634in (16.1 meters) at the main lodge, it was likely just one storm away from breaking the all-time record of 668in (16.9 meters) set in the 2010-2011 season.