Another atmospheric flux engulfed California on Tuesday, adding to the pressure on residents still trying to recover from weeks of unrelenting storms.
The latest storm evacuated nearly 27,000 people due to flooding and landslide risks and caused 16 major rivers in the state to overflow.
On the Pajaro River, a breached dam caused by a similar storm on Friday was again overwhelmed, flooding farms and roads and flooding the entire town of Pajaro, forcing thousands of residents to flee.
Atmospheric fluxes are so named because they are caused by narrow, river-like formations of concentrated moisture in the atmosphere. They can discharge huge amounts of rain and cause flooding and mudslides.
Another atmospheric flux engulfed California on Tuesday, adding to the pressure on residents still trying to recover from weeks of unrelenting storms
Parts of downtown Pajaro remain flooded after another storm breached a levee on the Pajaro River in Monterey County on Friday
An atmospheric flow caused major river flooding in more than 16 locations across the state
Atmospheric fluxes are so named because they are caused by narrow, river-like formations of concentrated moisture in the atmosphere (shown in pink).
California’s recent atmospheric flow is expected to continue affecting the state through Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service
“Life and property are in grave danger Tuesday through Wednesday,” the Weather Service said in its California forecast, warning residents to expect flash flooding in areas where it doesn’t typically occur.
Destructive winds reaching 70mph blew out windows and there were numerous reports of trees falling.
More than 330,000 utility customers in northern and central areas were affected by power outages, according to poweroutage.us, which tracks outages nationwide.
Crews raced Tuesday to stabilize the broken Pajaro River dam by placing stones and boulders to close the gap that opened March 10. The failed dam is about 70 miles south of San Francisco.
Tuesday’s storm initially spread light to moderate rain across the north and center of the state. The National Weather Service said the storm is moving faster than expected and most of the precipitation will shift south.
“Even a small amount of rain could potentially have a larger impact,” Shaunna Murray of the Monterey County Water Resources Agency said Tuesday during a news conference.
High winds damaged windows in a high-rise building in San Francisco, causing glass to rain down and forcing evacuations from the building in the Financial District.
No injuries were immediately reported. A gust of 74 miles per hour was measured at the city’s airport, the weather service said.
A California plate is seen in an area hit by flooding after days of heavy rain in Pajaro
A levee breach is being repaired on the Pajaro River in Monterey County
Laundry carts stand in floodwater outside the flooded Pajaro Coin Laundry on March 14
A military vehicle drives through flood water in Pajaro, California
Flood water surrounds farm machinery in the community of Pajaro, Monterey County
So far this winter, California has been hit by 11 atmospheric flows as well as powerful storms fueled by arctic air that created blizzard conditions.
In addition to evacuation orders, more than 71,600 people were under evacuation alerts and 546 people were in emergency shelters as of Tuesday morning, said Brian Ferguson, spokesman for the California Office of Emergency Services. Updated figures were not immediately available.
More flooding was expected on the central coast, where the Pajaro dike gave way. Authorities had received no reports of deaths or missing people linked to the storm as of Monday.
Pajaro is an unincorporated community known for its strawberry cultivation that was almost entirely submerged. More than 8,500 people have been ordered to evacuate, and nearly 250 people have been rescued by first responders since Friday.
“We live seven houses from the river and the water level was six feet, seven probably,” said evacuee Andres Garcia. “So we probably lost everything.”
The Weather Service has predicted that atmospheric flow “will produce numerous bouts of heavy rain and mountain snow for the central/southern portions of the state” through tonight.
It continued: “Heavy rain combined with snowmelt below 5,000 feet is likely to result in widespread flooding, particularly in areas still extremely vulnerable from recent rains.
“Some significant flood impacts are possible. Widespread flood warnings, warnings and advisories are in effect, along with a high risk (Level 4/4) of excessive precipitation in parts of the southern Sierra Nevada foothills and the central/southern California coast.’
Authorities had received no reports of deaths or missing people linked to the storm as of Monday
A couple takes coins from washing machines at the flooded Pajaro coin laundry
In its California forecast, the National Weather Service said, “Life and property are in grave danger Tuesday through Wednesday.”
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, atmospheric flows can carry up to 15 times the volume of the Mississippi. They appear as a trail of fine clouds that can stretch for hundreds of kilometers.
In 2019, an atmospheric river nicknamed the “Pineapple Express” hit California. The water vapor from near Hawaii brought rain, triggered mudslides and forced motorists to swim for their lives.
In 2021, an atmospheric flow dumped a month’s worth of rain on British Columbia in two days, causing deadly floods and landslides, devastating communities and cutting off access to Canada’s largest port.
According to a 2018 research report, future atmospheric flows are projected to be 10 percent fewer, but they are projected to be 25 percent wider, longer, and carry more water.