Second Atmospheric River Slams Into California Leaving Nearly 1 Million Without Power

Atmospheric rivers are long, narrow regions in the atmosphere that transport water vapor outside of the tropics. These “rivers in the sky” reach land and then release the water vapor in the form of rain or snow, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

A state of emergency has been declared in the US state of California after a severe winter storm powered by an atmospheric river slammed into the state on Sunday. The storm brought with it heavy downpours, flooding, and hurricane-force winds leaving nearly 1 million Americans without power.

On Sunday, at about 8:20 PM EST nearly 1 million Californians were without power due to the powerful winter storm, according to poweroutage.us.

The power outages did not discriminate, hitting counties that stretched between Northern and Central Coast California. The counties of Santa Clara, San Joaquin, Sacramento, Solano, Sonoma, Placer, Mendocino, Yuba, Yolo, San Mateo, Monterey, and San Luis Obispo, were badly hit by the power outages.

On Sunday, a rare Level 4 of 4 risk of excessive rainfall was expanded to include Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and Oxnard in Southern California. A warning was issued for life-threatening flash and urban flash flooding that could remain in effect until 12 AM on Tuesday. A Level 3 risk of excessive rainfall also remains in effect for areas in coastal California, including San Francisco.

Major orographic lift producing big wind and rainfall rates over 1.5 inches per hour at San Marcos pass above Santa Barbara California pic.twitter.com/eHBiT7Z1ZJ

— Reed Timmer, PhD (@ReedTimmerAccu) February 5, 2024

The atmospheric river firehose 🍍 is aimed at Los Angeles ... just in the next 18-hours will see 3-inches+ and then continues on Monday.
The onslaught has just begun from this treacherous bomb cyclone.

Simulated radar next 18-hours until Monday mid-morning. pic.twitter.com/OXOZwtfy67

— Ryan Maue (@RyanMaue) February 5, 2024

Los Angeles received 2.49 inches of rain on Thursday after an atmospheric river hit the state last week, which means the city could see almost a year’s worth of rain in the first week of February during this second atmospheric river.

On Sunday the National Weather Service (NWS) in San Francisco reported that a landslide had already occurred. Roads were also under threat of flooding and an official with the NWS urged drivers to turn around if they came across a flooded roadway so as to not “drown”.

Look at the flooding in Santa Barbara! You can see in this video, Mission Creek is flooding the street and toppling over part of the bridge. #AtmosphericRiver

(Video: @itsiannicholson) pic.twitter.com/jnLGZNbJDt

— Sophia Lesseos (@SophiaLesseos) February 5, 2024

Riders on the storm
California driving home #santabarbara #ventura #la #storm #atmosphericriver pic.twitter.com/DGURJa7eng

— RUSSELL YOUNG (@_russellyoung) February 5, 2024

Throughout California, the storm is expected to bring winds of 40 to 60 miles per hour (18 to 27 meters per second), with some gusts as high as 95 mph (42 meters per second) expected between the Monterey Peninsula to the northern section of San Luis Obispo County.

San Francisco experienced its first ever hurricane force wind warning since records have first been kept. And those who live in the mountains along the border of eastern California and Nevada should expect heavy snowfalls as well as dangerous wind gusts.

Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency for eight counties in the southern region of the state, including: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

According to the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES News), doing so should make it easier for out-of-state contractors to repair damage caused by the storm. It will also help facilitate unemployment benefits to impacted residents, and enable a response from the California National Guard if needed.