![]() Snow is expected to keep coming down into Tuesday, with high winds potentially taking down tree branches and compromising visibility by blowing snow, he said. The storm system is expected to bring temperatures down late Sunday, and by Monday snow levels could drop to 5,500 feet, causing problems at passes and making travel difficult, Kurth said. Such dramatic swings are expected by scientists to become more common as climate change warms the planet, resulting in longer, hotter periods of drought and more sporadic, intense bursts of precipitation. Those living near recent burn areas should be on alert for evacuation orders, he said.Įxperts say the risk is particularly high because there was virtually no transition period between what’s been a severe fire season and intense precipitation. “We’re very concerned about seeing just how heavy the rain could be, especially during the day Sunday,” Kurth said.Ĭalifornia Burned by wildfire, Northern California towns now fear flooding and toxic runoff from stormĪn atmospheric river could unleash debris flows and flash flooding across Northern California, especially in areas scorched by fire. ![]() The highest risk is projected for the scars of the Caldor fire along the Highway 50 corridor and the Dixie fire along Highway 70, where the heaviest rainfall is expected, according to the weather service. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood watch for the scars of 13 fires that burned between 2018 and this year, which totals more than 2.2 million acres in the Sacramento forecast area alone. That could cause flooding, as well as ash and debris flows in areas that have seen severe wildfire over the last several years. The storm is expected to start off with warmer temperatures, with the heaviest rain in Northern California on Sunday and high snow levels of 8,500 to 10,000 feet, said Eric Kurth, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento. More than a foot of rain could fall in the Sierra Nevada, with up to 3 feet of snow possible at higher elevations through Tuesday, forecasters said. With peak fire season upon us, rain and wind are in a race for who gets here first.Īt the same time, the atmospheric river is expected to bring heavier rain and mountain snow to Northern California starting Sunday, raising fears of life-threatening flash floods and debris flows in recent burn scars. The atmospheric river, a concentrated stream of water vapor circulating in the middle and lower levels of the atmosphere, could result in localized flooding, and roads may become slippery because of oil residue runoff, he said.Ĭalifornia Intense rain storms could dampen fall fire risk in parts of California The storm system is expected to be followed by an atmospheric river event that will probably peak in Los Angeles around midday Monday and could dump half an inch to an inch of rain on downtown L.A., Sweet said. Many coastal areas, including Leo Carrillo State Beach, got a similar soaking, while the San Gabriel Valley and downtown Los Angeles received less rain. County, the San Gabriel Mountains led the way with a scant 0.12 inch of rain measured at the San Gabriel Dam, said David Sweet, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. The meager rainfall is part of a weather pattern that is expected to bring hazardous conditions farther north starting Sunday, with forecasters warning that the western side of the Sierra Nevada could see excessive rain that causes flooding and debris flows in recent burn areas. Parts of Los Angeles got rain overnight, with more on the way Monday.
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