Back-to-back atmospheric rivers drenched California during the first days of February, causing flash floods and a number of mudslides throughout the state. The storm hit hardest in Southern California, where more than 9 inches of rain were dumped on the Los Angeles area in less than 24 hours and about 100,000 Californians were left without power. The recent record-breaking downpour was a cause of concern for many that believe that the ferocity of the storm serves as a warning of what future rivers like this might turn out to be.
An atmospheric river is a narrow passageway of heavily condensed rain clouds, like a river in the sky. According to the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), the average atmospheric river “carries an amount of water vapor roughly equivalent to the average flow of water at the mouth of the Mississippi River.” They are also known as the Pineapple Express; the nickname comes from the build-up of moisture in the tropical Pacific area near Hawaii that eventually makes its way towards the West Coast.
The river left a trail of destruction across the state. The total of storm-related deaths came to nine, including four people being killed by a falling tree in Northern California. Rainfall totals reached a high of 14 inches in cities such as Topanga. City agencies in Los Angeles reported 475 mudslides, 390 fallen trees, and responded to several successful water rescues. The rain also caused an estimated $11 billion in damages and severe economic losses.
Climate change is one factor that is blamed for the increasing aggressiveness of the storms. California is currently going through an El Niño, which is a term for when the Pacific jet stream moves south and spreads towards the east. This causes wetter conditions than the West Coast is used to. Warm ocean temperatures also supercharge the already dangerous rainstorms, making them more lethal than ever before.
With these storms only getting worse, scientists are working to understand what is making them so destructive. The atmospheric river brought a rare opportunity for scientists to utilize specially designed instruments by releasing them into the storm. These tools were launched from planes with parachutes or floated into the sky from the ground with balloons. Despite their small size, the devices will prove useful in the future for weather forecasting as storms become stronger.
Utilizing these systems will be helpful when it comes to the accuracy of weather predictions. Despite many technological advancements, storms are unpredictable and don’t always play out the way meteorologists believe they will. Scientists hope that with these new devices, they will be able to gain a stronger understanding of when and where these rivers will make landfall.
Another round of rain is expected to hit California on Thursday, February 29 and to drop just under an inch of rain in the Los Angeles area. The Sierras are under a blizzard warning, anticipating one to two feet of snow along with strong winds. With seemingly no break between these storms, California’s wet winter has proved to be catastrophic throughout the entire state.
