Satellite images have been released of the two ‘Pineapple Express’ storms that are expected to unleash rainwater flooding in California this week.
The Golden State was beset by storms last year and residents are now bracing for this year’s series of downpours.
Several inches of rain and snow from the higher elevation mountains are expected to be dumped on the state this week as a result of two atmospheric rivers heading toward California.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration defines atmospheric rivers as “narrow regions in the atmosphere that transport much of the moisture from the tropics to northern latitudes.”
The weather phenomenon is known as ‘Pineapple Express’ because it brings warm subtropical moisture across the Pacific from near Hawaii.
Satellite images have been released of the two ‘Pineapple Express’ storms that are expected to unleash rainwater flooding in California this week.
Atmospheric rivers are defined as “narrow regions in the atmosphere that transport much of the moisture from the tropics to northern latitudes” by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The weather phenomenon is known as ‘Pineapple Express’ because it brings warm subtropical moisture across the Pacific from near Hawaii.
Expected to begin Wednesday and last a week, the two Pineapple Express storms will unleash downpours of up to four inches across the state. along with strong winds of over 30 miles per hour.
Rain has already begun in Northern California and is expected to migrate south overnight as the first storm takes hold of the state.
While the drastic weather conditions are expected to improve on Friday and Saturday, the second of two forecast storms will once again flood California when it arrives on Sunday.
‘Storm No. 1 will be moderate to strong. Nothing earth-shattering. “It won’t be a catastrophe, but it could cause fairly widespread urban and small stream flooding in Northern California,” says the UCLA climate scientist. Daniel Swain saying.
‘The heaviest rain and strongest winds with Storm No. 1 will likely come from the Monterey Bay area to the north. So this will be a storm that will affect the [San Francisco] Bay Area during the night trip.
The upcoming storms “will impact all major population centers in California,” Swain said.
The Golden State was beset by storms last year and residents are now bracing for this year’s series of downpours.
Several inches of rain and snow from the higher elevation mountains are expected to be dumped on the state this week as a result of two atmospheric rivers heading toward California.
Expected to begin Wednesday and last a week, the two Pineapple Express storms will unleash downpours of up to four inches across the state along with strong winds measuring more than 30 miles per hour.
However, Swain explained that the second storm will be “a different story,” adding that the stormy weather will be accompanied by colder air when it begins to rise on Sunday.
“With the storm on Sunday and Monday in the Sierra Nevada, much more snow could fall,” he said.
The second storm is forecast to drench Southern California with “very heavy rain,” Swain said, and will bring even stronger winds, up to 70 miles per hour, to the northern part of the state.
Swain expressed concern about the “potentially significant flooding risk” from the second of the Pineapple Express storms.
State officials have warned that power outages and flooding could accompany the approaching storms.
“The state is working around the clock with our local partners to deploy life-saving equipment and resources across the state,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement.
“With more storms on the horizon, we will continue to mobilize all available resources to protect Californians.”
The National Weather Service has currently issued eight flood watches for “excessive” rainfall through Thursday in some parts of the state.
‘There will be an increased risk of landslides and rockslides along roads. Streams and streams can overflow their banks. Flooding may occur in urban areas and areas with poor drainage,” the warning states.
Rain has already begun in Northern California and is expected to migrate south overnight as the first storm takes hold of the state.
While the drastic weather conditions are expected to improve on Friday and Saturday, the second of two forecast storms will once again flood California when it arrives on Sunday.
In March of last year, a Pineapple Express flooded California with 13 inches of rain, causing 13 deaths and widespread destruction.
The expected storm comes just a week after historic flooding hit San Diego, forcing residents to flee their homes amid rising waters.
Cleanup operations were still underway after the city declared a state of emergency amid monumental rainfall that was nearly unprecedented in the coastal community.
At least 100 homes were damaged or destroyed after the city received more rain in a few days than it normally receives all month in winter.
There are also fears of a repeat of evacuations seen in parts of the state amid a massive storm in December. Torrential rains caused huge storm surges that wreaked havoc in areas such as Oxnard, Río del Mar and Ventura.