Coastal California dealt several rounds of wind and water while the Southeast is hit with massive rain storms and severe weather.
Weather Wallops West, South Dropping Much Needed Moisture
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Coastal California dealt several rounds of wind and water while the Southeast is hit with massive storms rain and severe weather.
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Three different powerful storms, called atmospheric rivers, came ashore and pummeled the drought-stricken West Coast this week. Coastal areas of California were slammed by high winds and rain mid-week as falling trees knocked out power lines in Monterey County. Several creeks rose out of their banks threatening homes in the area.
Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency allowing for quick deployment of aid to areas impacted by the storms. Portions of northern California could receive more than 10 inches of rain this weekend.
High winds coupled with high tides on Thursday washed out several sections of piers in Santa Cruz County. The area near the Santa Cruz Wharf was closed until further notice from the storm that now is being called a Pineapple Express since it originated near Hawaii. The storm was pulled toward the West Coast by a rotating area of rapidly falling air pressure known as a bomb cyclone.
Water in the Central Valley was everywhere to start the new year as last weekend's storm dumped anywhere from five to 12 inches across the Golden State. Flooded roadways stranded motorists turning some properties into islands. Several rescues were made in the area.
Farther inland, Reno, Nevada, received moisture in the form of snow. The snowpack in the nearby Sierra Nevada mountains is at its deepest level in 40 years. State water officials say the snow depth is 174 percent of the historical average for this time of year.
Officials caution this moisture won’t be enough to break the drought. More rain and snow will be needed to assist in easing parched conditions. Roughly one third of California’s water comes from the snow that melts off the Sierra Nevadas each year.
A severe storm tore through an area of central Arkansas. Here in Jessieville, trees were shredded along with the local football field. A portion of the school also was damaged.
The system stretched from the Southeast to the Great Lakes dumping heavy rain and spawning several tornadoes - nine of them in Illinois alone, the most in one Land of Lincoln storm since 1989.
Snow also swept through Iowa, and the Upper Midwest. The moisture that fell helped drop the national drought picture to its lowest level since September.
For Market to Market, I’m David Miller.
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