California is experiencing yet another round of flooding as the 11th atmospheric river of the winter hits the state.
Nearly 27,000 residents have been evacuated due to flooding and landslide risks, and 16 major rivers have overflowed.
The agricultural community of Pajaro has been particularly hard-hit as a broken levee caused by a previous storm on March 10 was again overwhelmed, flooding farms, roads, and submerging the entire town.
Atmospheric rivers are formations of concentrated moisture in the atmosphere that can dump large amounts of rain, causing flooding and mudslides.
The National Weather Service has warned that lives and property are in great danger due to the current storm and flash flooding is expected in areas that don’t normally experience it.
Power outages have left over 330,000 utility customers in northern and central areas without electricity.
The Pajaro River’s ruptured levee is being stabilized with rocks and boulders as crews race to fill the gap.
Even a small amount of rain could have larger impacts, warns Shaunna Murray of the Monterey County Water Resources Agency.
The storm is moving faster than expected, with most of the precipitation expected to shift southward.
A San Francisco high-rise was damaged by powerful winds, causing glass to rain down and evacuations from the building.
California has already been battered by 10 atmospheric rivers this winter as well as powerful storms fueled by arctic air that produced blizzard conditions.
Over 71,600 people were under evacuation warnings, and 546 people were in shelters as of Tuesday morning.
More flooding is expected on the central coast, where the Pajaro levee gave way. No deaths or missing persons have been reported.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration states that atmospheric rivers can carry up to 15 times the volume of the Mississippi River.
Although there are projected to be 10% fewer atmospheric rivers in the future, they are expected to be 25% wider and longer and carry more water.
»California is experiencing yet another round of flooding«
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