A powerful and destructive atmospheric river storm has swept through California, leaving a trail of devastation and claiming the lives of at least six people. The severe weather system, which packed a moisture load comparable to the flow of the Mississippi River, has now largely moved on, but lingering thunderstorms continue to pose a serious threat of mudslides, particularly in areas of Los Angeles county recently scarred by wildfires.
Casualties and Ongoing Search Efforts
The human cost of the storm became tragically clear over the weekend. In a heartbreaking incident in Monterey county, a five-year-old girl was swept into the ocean by massive 15ft waves at a state beach on Friday. Her father, 39-year-old Yuji Hu from Calgary, Alberta, was killed as he heroically attempted to save her. Authorities confirmed on Sunday that the search for the young girl is still ongoing.
Further north, in Sutter county, a 71-year-old man lost his life on Friday when his vehicle was swept off a flooded bridge. The incident was confirmed by the California highway patrol. In a separate maritime tragedy off the coast of San Diego, a wooden boat suspected of carrying migrants from Mexico capsized in the stormy seas. This incident left at least four people dead and four others hospitalised, according to the US Coast Guard.
Widespread Damage and Lingering Threats
The storm's impact was felt across the state. In Altadena, California, a community north of Los Angeles, a tree crushed a car during the heavy rains on Friday, illustrating the dangerous conditions. Photographs showed residents gathering near the heavily damaged vehicle.
Flood advisories remained active through Sunday afternoon for Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara counties. The National Weather Service issued a stark warning, stating, "Due to the abundant rainfall the past couple of days, it will not take as much rainfall to cause additional flooding/rockslide conditions." This elevated risk is expected to persist through Monday.
The desert region was not spared, with reported flooding in the Palm Springs area and numerous road closures throughout the Coachella valley.
A Supercharged Weather System
This long plume of tropical moisture, which formed over the Pacific Ocean, began its assault on the San Francisco Bay Area last Wednesday night. It then deluged southern California with widespread rain throughout Friday and Saturday. The storm dumped significant precipitation, with more than 4in of rain falling over coastal Santa Barbara county as it approached Los Angeles. The Sierra Nevada saw a transformation into a winter landscape, receiving more than a foot of snow.
While scattered rain could continue in southern parts of the state through Tuesday, forecasters are already monitoring another storm system expected to arrive on Thursday. Scientists warn that within the context of the climate crisis, warming oceans are supercharging atmospheric river storms, making them more intense, deadlier, and costlier. These systems, while historically vital for replenishing California's reservoirs and snowpack, are becoming increasingly destructive as their power grows.
