The “Pineapple Express,” a mighty and massive atmospheric river, rolled over California this weekend, sparking warnings of widespread flash flooding.
Up to nine inches (23 centimeters) of rain were expected in some parts of the state, with several feet of heavy, wet snow falling over mountains where a huge snowpack has built up over months of near-record storms.Forecasters said the Pineapple Express—so called because it is bringing warm, subtropical moisture from Hawaii—could cause some of that monster snowpack to melt, overwhelming river systems.”Rainfall totals of 4-9 inches, atop areas with saturated soil and deep snowpack will cause widespread and severe flooding impacts,” the National Weather Service (NWS) warned.”Higher elevations in northern California and the Sierras will receive a heavy, wet snow leading to difficult travel.”
A snowstorm in late February created massive snowpacks, up to 10 feet in some areas, sealing residents in cabins and leading to the deaths of up to 11 people. Governor Gavin Newsom was slammed for being away on a personal trip during this crisis.
It’s unclear where Newsom traveled as his office does not comment on such matters due to what they say are security concerns, however the governor reportedly left California on Wednesday after a visit to the Diablo Canyon power plant in Avila Beach.“Californians are trapped in their homes without power. More storms are on the way. And Governor Newsom has just left the state for ‘personal travel,’” Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., said in a Thursday tweet.In another tweet, Kiley called on Acting Democratic Gov. Eleni Kounalakis “to immediately seek a Major Disaster Declaration from the President,” noting that some Californians affected by the storms had no power and were short on supplies.
He acted quickly on this issue once he returned.
On Wednesday, Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency in 21 counties across the state, adding to the list of 13 initial counties that were already proclaimed at the beginning of March.A release from Newsom’s office said that if the presidential emergency declaration was approved, it would enable impacted counties to immediately access direct federal assistance to help protect public safety and property.Generators, road clearance equipment and potential sheltering are some of the benefits of direct federal assistance.
The declaration has now been approved.
Newsom smartly waived permits that would normally be required for recharging underground basins with rainwater.
To pull water from the state’s network of rivers and canals for groundwater recharge, state law requires a permit from the State Water Resources Control Board and Department of Fish and Wildlife. Many local agencies lacked the permitting during January storms, but this month’s atmospheric rivers and near record snowpack promises new opportunities to put water underground.Newsom’s executive order eliminated the need for a water rights permit for groundwater recharge if the land meets specific environmental conditions between March 10 and June 1. It also waives the need for a permit from the Department of Fish and Wildlife to alter a lake or stream bed.
Meanwhile, a Northern California agricultural community was forced to evacuate early Saturday after the Pajaro River’s levee was breached by flooding.
Across the Central Coast’s Monterey County, more than 8,500 people were under evacuation orders and warnings Saturday, including roughly 1,700 residents — many of them Latino farmworkers — from the unincorporated community of Pajaro.Officials said the Pajaro River’s levee breach is about 100 feet (30.48 meters) wide. Crews had gone door to door Friday afternoon to urge residents to leave before the rains came but some stayed and had to be pulled from floodwaters early Saturday.First responders and the California National Guard rescued more than 50 people overnight.
One has to wonder if Los Angeles will continue policing sprinklers this year.
Tremendous rains and snowfall since late last year have freed half of California from drought, but low groundwater levels remain a persistent problem, U.S. Drought Monitor data showed Thursday.The latest survey found that moderate or severe drought covers about 49% of the state, nearly 17% of the state is free of drought or a condition described as abnormally dry. The remainder is still abnormally dry.
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