SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A robust storm Saturday ushered within the new 12 months in California, with a lot of the state witnessing drenching rain or heavy snowfall that was snarling visitors and shutting highways.
Within the excessive Sierra Nevada, as a lot as 2 ft (0.6 meters) of snow might accumulate Saturday into early Sunday. The Nationwide Climate Service in Sacramento warned about hazardous driving situations and posted pictures on Twitter displaying visitors on snow-covered mountain passes, the place automobiles had been required to have chains or four-wheel drive.
The so-called atmospheric river storm was pulling in a protracted and huge plume of moisture from the Pacific Ocean, and flooding and rock slides triggered by the storm closed parts of roads throughout northern California.
The California Freeway Patrol stated a piece of U.S. 101 — one of many state’s fundamental visitors arteries — was closed indefinitely south of San Francisco due to flooding. Movies on Twitter confirmed mud-colored water streaming alongside San Francisco streets, and a staircase in Oakland became a veritable waterfall by heavy rains.
Climate service meteorologist Courtney Carpenter stated the storm might drop over an inch of rain Saturday within the Sacramento space earlier than transferring south. One ski resort south of Lake Tahoe closed chair lifts due to flooding and operational issues, and posted a photograph on Twitter displaying one carry tower and its empty chairs surrounded by water.
“We’re seeing numerous flooding,” Carpenter stated.
The Stockton Police Division posted pictures of a flooded railroad underpass and a automobile that appeared stalled in additional than a foot (30 centimeters) of water.
The rain was welcomed in drought-parched California, however way more precipitation is required to make a major distinction. The previous three years have been California’s driest on document.
A winter storm warning was in impact into Sunday for the higher elevations of the Sierra from south of Yosemite Nationwide Park to north of Lake Tahoe, the place as a lot as 5 ft (1.5 meters) of snow is feasible atop the mountains, the Nationwide Climate Service stated in Reno, Nevada.
A flood watch was in impact throughout a lot of Northern California via New Yr’s Eve. Officers warned that rivers and streams might overflow and urged residents to get sandbags prepared.
Some rainfall totals within the San Francisco Bay Space topped 4 inches (10 centimeters).
The state transportation company reported quite a few street closures, together with Freeway 70 east of Chico, which was partially closed by a slide, and the northbound facet of Freeway 49, east of Sacramento, which was closed due to flooding. In El Dorado County, east of Sacramento, a stretch of Freeway 50 was closed due to flooding.
Humboldt County, the place a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck on Dec. 20, additionally noticed roadways start to flood, in response to the Nationwide Climate Service’s Eureka workplace. A bridge that was briefly closed final week attributable to earthquake injury could also be closed once more if the Eel River, which it crosses, will get too excessive, officers stated.
It was the primary of a number of storms anticipated to roll throughout California over the subsequent week. The present system is anticipated to be hotter and wetter, whereas subsequent week’s storms might be colder, reducing snow ranges within the mountains, stated Hannah Chandler-Cooley, a meteorologist on the Nationwide Climate Service in Sacramento.
The Sacramento area might obtain a complete of 4 to five inches (10 to 13 centimeters) of rain over the span of the week, Chandler-Cooley stated.
“Sturdy winds might trigger tree injury and result in energy outages and excessive waves on Lake Tahoe could capsize small vessels,” the climate service in Reno stated.
Avalanche warnings had been issued within the backcountry round Lake Tahoe and Mammoth Lakes south of Yosemite.
On the Sierra’s jap entrance, flood watches and warnings proceed into the weekend north and south of Reno, Nevada, the place minor to average flooding was forecast alongside some rivers and streams into the weekend.
In Southern California, moderate-to-heavy rain was falling Saturday. The area will start drying out on New Yr’s Day and the Jan. 2 Rose Parade in Pasadena ought to keep away from rainfall.
One other spherical of heavy showers had been forecast for Tuesday or Wednesday, the Nationwide Climate Service in Oxnard stated.