A deadly atmospheric river has unleashed havoc in California, drenching Los Angeles with record-setting rainfall and battering the Sierra Nevada with ferocious winds that rival those of a Category 5 hurricane.
The state is in the midst of a severe weather event as the atmospheric river storm brings a deluge of moisture, resulting in mudslides, flooding, and numerous water rescues. A state of emergency has been declared for Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties.
Multiple daily rainfall records were shattered on Sunday in the greater Los Angeles area. Downtown Los Angeles received a staggering 6.36 inches of rain since Sunday, while Los Angeles International Airport saw 1.76 inches, surpassing a previous 1958 record of 0.56 inches. Santa Barbara Airport recorded 2.39 inches, easily eclipsing the previous 1990 record of 0.50 inches.
In the higher elevations of California, the National Weather Service in San Diego recorded the highest rain totals within a 24-hour period. Lytle Creek experienced a staggering 8.59 inches of rain by Monday at 7 a.m., while Deer Creek Dam received 5.55 inches.
Forecasters expect more records to be broken or set by midweek, with Southern California potentially receiving an additional 2 inches of rainfall. Higher elevations could see totals of up to 5 inches through Tuesday.
Simultaneously, the atmospheric river system has brought extremely powerful winds, pummeling the Sierra Nevada region. Wind gusts exceeding 100 mph have been reported in Mono County and the Greater Lake Tahoe area. At Warn Mountain in Lake Tahoe, a gust of 162 mph was recorded, while Palisades Tahoe saw a gust of 148 mph. Winds peaked at 125 mph at Mammoth Mountain Summit in Mono County.
The combination of strong winds and heavy rain has resulted in widespread flooding and infrastructure damage across the state. Power outages affected over half a million people in California on Monday, an improvement from the nearly 1 million outages experienced on Sunday.
Significant snowfall has blanketed the Sierra Nevada throughout the duration of the storm. Mammoth Mountain Ski Base in California received a remarkable 33 inches of snow in just 12 hours, while Mount Rose Ski Base in Nevada accumulated 26 inches.
As residents and authorities grapple with the catastrophic impact of this atmospheric river, it serves as a powerful reminder of the potential dangers posed by extreme weather events. Efforts to mitigate the devastating effects and protect vulnerable areas continue as this unprecedented storm unfolds.
