A new storm driven by an atmospheric river and bomb cyclone unleashed strong winds, heavy rain, and significant snowfall across California on January 5, resulting in casualties.
According to Reuters, the deadly storm that engulfed California on January 4 and 5 originated from the overlapping phenomena of an atmospheric river and a bomb cyclone.
An atmospheric river is a dense stream of moisture—literally a “river in the sky”—that carries an enormous amount of water from the ocean to the land. A bomb cyclone is a low-pressure system associated with a storm that has extremely widespread and destructive effects. Both phenomena are exacerbated by climate change.
Vehicles navigate slick, tree-laden roads in San Francisco, California – (Photo: REUTERS).
A “live” interview in front of a collapsed gas station in Daly City on January 5 – (Photo: REUTERS).
The National Weather Service (NWS) forecast widespread rainfall of 2.5 cm per hour and snowfall in the Sierra Nevada mountains reaching 7.6 cm per hour, making travel extremely hazardous.
The NWS also warned of the potential for flash floods and landslides, especially in areas recently impacted by last week’s storm, which were again devastated before they could recover. Many hillsides in California, stripped bare by wildfires last summer, are also at risk of sliding and collapsing.
A car submerged in water in Oakland – (Photo: AP).
A beach in Santa Cruz devastated by the storm – (Photo: TWITTER).
The famous Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco shrouded in heavy rain on January 5 – (Photo: REUTERS).
Warnings of high winds and strong gusts were issued across the state. Many trees, weakened by the previous drought, could not anchor themselves in the rain-soaked ground, uprooting and collapsing power lines and blocking roads.
Authorities reported at least two fatalities from the latest storm, including a 19-year-old girl and a 1-year-old boy. The girl died when her vehicle skidded on a flooded road and crashed into a utility pole, while the boy was killed when a tree fell on a house during the night.
Previously, last weekend’s storm—also driven by an atmospheric river—resulted in four additional deaths.
Heavily damaged area in Santa Cruz – (Photo: TWITTER).
Residents of San Francisco taking advantage of a lull in the storm on January 4 before it severely impacted again on January 5 – (Photo: REUTERS).
A San Francisco resident walking in the rain – (Photo: AP).
Approximately 180,000 homes lost power on January 5, and many major roads in Point Arena and Gualala were impassable, while the famous Big River beach was inundated with fallen trees and debris.
California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on January 4. Residents were urged to avoid travel as emergency crews worked to clear fallen trees and debris blocking roads.
