At least one person has died as a result of severe flooding in Northern California, with forecasters warning that further dangerous weather linked to atmospheric rivers is set to disrupt the Christmas holiday period.
Death and Destruction in Shasta County
One fatality was confirmed in the city of Redding after a powerful weather system deluged the region. Redding Mayor Mike Littau reported that the storm dumped as much as six inches of rain on Shasta County, leading to the deadly floods. The mayor did not release further details concerning the victim.
The hazardous conditions persisted through Sunday night, prompting flood warnings for several northern counties. Most of Central California remained under a flood watch extending through to Friday. Emergency services in Shasta County were inundated with calls regarding submerged vehicles and had to perform multiple rescues of residents trapped by the rapidly rising waters.
Residents' Harrowing Ordeals and Further Warnings
The human impact of the flooding was starkly illustrated by residents like 56-year-old Jan Bodine from Redding. She described to The New York Times how floodwater burst through a door in her home, soaking and destroying Christmas presents, clothing, and flooring within an hour. Ms Bodine, who does not have flood insurance due to the cost, expressed despair about her situation.
In a separate incident near the South Yuba River, firefighters from Truckee used a ladder to reach people stranded in a flooded house. Meanwhile, the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office issued a stern warning, urging the public not to attempt crossing flooded roadways, which they described as containing "swift and cold" water that can quickly become life-threatening.
Atmospheric Rivers Bring a Month's Rain in Days
The National Weather Service in Sacramento attributed the deluge to a series of warm atmospheric rivers. These long, narrow bands of concentrated water vapour form over the ocean and transport massive amounts of moisture. Redding experienced a full month's worth of rainfall in just the two days between Saturday and Sunday, leading to the widespread inundation.
Although Monday offered a brief respite, the threat is far from over. Heavy rain with flooding potential is forecast for Tuesday in Northern California, particularly in the northern Sierra Nevada foothills. A second atmospheric river is then predicted to strike, beginning on Tuesday night and continuing into Wednesday, impacting the majority of the state.
The Weather Prediction Center has placed over 17 million people in Southern California, including residents of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Santa Barbara, under a Level 3 flooding rain threat, indicating a significant risk as the holiday week progresses.
