Deadly storm pummels Northern California, breaching levees, forcing many water rescues

[marmar]

(Los Angeles Times) After a powerful New Year’s Eve storm triggered landslides, blackouts and road closures across California, residents were left to deal with the aftermath Sunday as forecasters warned of even more rain in the coming days.

The heavy wind and downpours left tens of thousands of homes in Northern California without power for much of Sunday, while record high waters on the Cosumnes River near Sacramento breached three levees and inundated the area.

Flash flooding along Highway 99 and other roads south of Sacramento submerged dozens of cars near Wilton, where the water poured over the levees. Search and rescue crews in boats and helicopters scrambled to pick up trapped motorists. At least one person was found dead in a submerged car near Dillard Road and Highway 99, according to local media reports.

“I don’t want to use the term apocalyptic, but it’s ugly,” Sacramento County spokesman Matt Robinson said by phone from a stretch of Highway 99 that he described as a vast lake. “We have a lot of stuck cars.” .............(more)

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-01-01/heavy-rains-pummel-northern-california

[republianmushroom]

1. Northern Ca is getting snow at 2,000 foot elevation , now.

[Sympthsical]

2. It has just been nonstop rain

All of December pretty much. Just glanced at the forecast, and the next ten days are also rain, rain, rain - forecast to get 7 inches over the next week. This after we were predicted to have a dry winter.

Well, at least the reservoirs will be happy.

I'm kind of loving it. Off school for another two weeks and work has slowed to a crawl with the holidays. Lots of movies and books, soups and stews kind of weather, which is lovely.

Short-term, it sucks for people around rivers or needing to travel around state. Too much at once is too much at once. However, medium term, it's very good for the state. We needed something to put a dent in the drought, and this winter is managing it so far. Snow pack is already double what it normally is by this time of the year.

Hopefully state officials will be good stewards of this boom and not let people get willy nilly with use just because we're having one good winter.