Severe weather wreaks havoc in California

Over the weekend, California experienced severe weather that caused chaos across the state. Heavy rains in Fresno County resulted in 10,000 people being evacuated from their homes, while flash flooding hit Monterey and Tuolumne County Counties, and hail the size of quarters fell.

A spate of rare tornado warnings was also issued. The flooding left roads and highways submerged beneath patches of water, causing a man in Watsonville to be filmed pulling a nearly two-foot long fish out of the water between stalled traffic.

Along the Salinas River near Monterey County, a man in his car was swept away by the raging waters and left trapped on a patch of land amidst the deluge. Dramatic footage showed him stranded and isolated before being rescued by helicopter.

Further weather chaos predicted

Heavy snow continued to bury the northern parts of the state, with many communities left without power and forced to dig themselves out of feet of accumulation.

The storms marked the state’s 10th atmospheric river to ravage the state this winter. Although Sunday brought a respite of light showers across parts of the state, forecasts call for more calamity as another atmospheric river is forecast to strike this week.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warned that rain will be heavy on Monday, leading to flooding risks from San Francisco to Sacramento. By Tuesday, the rains are due to head south, leading to flood dangers across swaths of central California.

Expected rainfall and snowfall

According to Fox Weather, forecast models show between one and three inches of rain for many communities, with a few spots possibly receiving more along the coast and foothills.

Crews at the 95th Academy Awards struggled on Sunday to clean up water leaking from the ceiling at the Dolby Theater before celebrities arrived on the new champagne-colored carpet.

Water could be seen Sunday afternoon dripping down through the red drapes that serve as the ceiling for the glitzy event and onto the carpet where actors, directors, and producers will soon pose for photos.

Members of the Academy’s drip control team tried to alleviate the puddles forming on the red drapes with giant poles, before placing buckets to catch the drip. In the higher-elevated mountains, the incoming storm could bring even more snow, and at lower elevations, more flooding.

Emergency response

First responders and the California National Guard rescued more than 50 people over the weekend, and one video showed a member of the Guard helping a driver out of a car trapped by water up to their waists.

Governor Gavin Newsom has declared emergencies in 34 counties in recent weeks, and the Biden administration approved a presidential disaster declaration for some on Friday morning, a move that will bring more federal assistance.