Atmospheric rivers expected to slam California
Atmospheric rivers are expected to slam California in the coming weeks, bringing heavy rain to higher elevations and triggering rapid snowmelt. CBS 8's Abby Black reports on the potential for a major flood event. Abby? Meteorologists say with the forecasted atmospheric rivers, they expect to have some major flooding, some that we haven't seen since back in the 70s. Two atmospheric rivers, possibly three, moving into California and the next two weeks are expected to dump Atmospheric rivers are expected to slam California in the coming weeks, bringing heavy rain to higher elevations and triggering rapid snowmelt. CBS 8's Abby Black reports on the potential for a major flood event. Abby? Meteorologists say with the forecasted atmospheric rivers, they expect to have some major flooding, some that we haven't seen since back in the 70s. Two atmospheric rivers, possibly three, moving into California and the next two weeks are expected to dump heavy rain in central California and trickle south.
And that's going to enhance some of the ongoing snowmelt and add to problems with with potential flooding. Meteorologist Alex Tardy with the National Weather Service in San Diego held a webinar today about the upcoming storms. So this potential is a very active weather pattern starting March 10th and rolling through March 20th. He says the cold conditions, snowpack and rain could cause unsafe conditions and major damage. heavy rain in central California and trickle south. And that's going to enhance some of the ongoing snowmelt and add to problems with with potential flooding. Meteorologist Alex Tardy with the National Weather Service in San Diego held a webinar today about the upcoming storms.
So this potential is a very active weather pattern starting March 10th and rolling through March 20th. He says the cold conditions, snowpack and rain could cause unsafe conditions and major damage. The earth tends to let loose a little bit. You get you get more rock slides. You get some mud flows down on the highways. And then you also get flooding in some of the communities where the water has nowhere to go. There's an unprecedented 10 feet of snow in the San Bernardino Mountains.
If it melts, Tardy says that that translates to eight to 12 inches of water. We have to go back to maybe 1979 to see a comparable storm, even though this appears to be even more The earth tends to let loose a little bit. You get you get more rock slides. You get some mud flows down on the highways. And then you also get flooding in some of the communities where the water has nowhere to go. There's an unprecedented 10 feet of snow in the San Bernardino Mountains. If it melts, Tardy says that that translates to eight to 12 inches of water.
We have to go back to maybe 1979 to see a comparable storm, even though this appears to be even more than that. Tardy says when we look at it locally, 2017 and 2019 flooding is somewhat comparable to the record. This season, there's been a dozen or so atmospheric rivers in California, including in San Diego. The most notably was around the new year. CBS eight meteorologist Sean Stiles gives us some insight into how atmospheric rivers act. When you see the pinwheeling of this storm, it becomes like a conveyor belt and it just grabs it than that. Tardy says when we look at it locally, 2017 and 2019 flooding is somewhat comparable to the record.
This season, there's been a dozen or so atmospheric rivers in California, including in San Diego. The most notably was around the new year. CBS eight meteorologist Sean Stiles gives us some insight into how atmospheric rivers act. When you see the pinwheeling of this storm, it becomes like a conveyor belt and it just grabs it and pulls it through and it just keeps dragging all that moisture over the same area day in and day out and day in and day out. While central California is expected to face the brunt of the flooding, southern California is not in the clear. So all it takes is a little ripple in the jet stream to make that plume of moisture sag a little bit south. You still have some time to prepare.
Clean out all the drains around your house and make sure that water flows freely away from your home. and pulls it through and it just keeps dragging all that moisture over the same area day in and day out and day in and day out. While central California is expected to face the brunt of the flooding, southern California is not in the clear. So all it takes is a little ripple in the jet stream to make that plume of moisture sag a little bit south. You still have some time to prepare. Clean out all the drains around your house and make sure that water flows freely away from your home. The first atmospheric river is forecast for Friday and Saturday, the next one on Monday and Tuesday and possibly another one in the next couple of weeks.
Get ready, it's coming our way. I'm Abby Black, CBS 8. All right, Abby, thanks. The first atmospheric river is forecast for Friday and Saturday, the next one on Monday and Tuesday and possibly another one in the next couple of weeks. Get ready, it's coming our way. I'm Abby Black, CBS 8. All right, Abby, thanks.
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