A powerful atmospheric river storm is poised to hit Southern California this weekend, threatening to unleash potentially life-threatening floods and landslides. Despite the region recovering from an earlier deluge, forecasters warn that the impending storm could cause significant disruptions.
Gradually intensifying rain is expected to begin on Saturday, with the most intense downpours soaking a 500-kilometer stretch of coast from San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara south through Los Angeles and San Diego counties on Sunday and Monday.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued flood watches for the entire region in anticipation of staggering amounts of precipitation likely to fall over a 36-hour period, accompanied by strong gusty winds.
Rainfall averages of 7-15 cm are forecasted for most coastal and valley areas, with mountainous regions expected to receive between 15-30 cm. With soils already saturated and streams running high from an earlier storm that drenched the region on Thursday, the flood potential is exceptionally high.
\"The amount of water that will be hitting the ground will generate significant, widespread and possibly life-threatening floods,\" the NWS stated in a forecast discussion posted online.
Mountainous parts of Santa Barbara and Ventura counties could see rainfall totals as high as 38 cm, making them particularly vulnerable to flash floods, mudflows, and landslides. Communities on south-facing slopes of mountains and foothills are expected to bear the brunt of the heaviest downpours.
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Strong storm expected to hit California with potentially deadly floods
cgtn.com
