Snow in California: A Category 3 atmospheric river will provide feet of snow

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“This is a winter storm event for us,” said Mark Deutschendorf, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Reno, Nevada. “It’s not recommended to travel Tuesday night through Friday to the Sierra and Lake Tahoe area, including western Nevada. If you’re venturing outdoors, be prepared to spend a long time in your car.”

This is just one more example of California caught in a “weather whip,” going from one weather extreme to the opposite end.

There will be a dramatic change of scenery as winter sets in.

“Some parts of the Sierra will need a measurement criterion to measure snow forecast in the forecast,” he tweeted. NWS to Sacramento Monday.

The buttresses could see 6 inches to a foot of snow, while the mountains could see 3 to 5 feet. In some areas, it is expected to be up to 7 feet across the favored terrain of Sierra Nevada through Friday.

“This storm is expected to be a major headache for the region and will cause heavy snowfall in the Sierra as well as parts of western Nevada,” NWS Reno said.
An avalanche clock on his back is in effect in much of the region, including the Tahoe Basin, through Friday. The combination of heavy snowfall and strong winds will cause an extreme danger of avalanches, according to the NWS.

The mountain ranges could see gusts exceeding 125 mph.

This intense snow is all thanks to an atmospheric river of category 3, out of 5.

Atmospheric rivers are long, narrow regions of the atmosphere, such as rivers in the sky, that carry water vapor, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The moisture-laden air of this atmospheric river event (RA) will be forced to rise over the ridge and the slope of the mountains upwards, cooling as it rises. As the air cools, it condenses to form heavy rainfall, which will flirt with the duration records of snowfall.

“The Owens Valley (Great Basin Desert) could receive almost record amounts of snow over a two-day period. Its previous record of 48-hour snowfall was 23 inches in 1969,” he told the network weather NWS Jenn Varian.

The atmospheric river creates flood potential

As the atmospheric river points its fire hose along the central coast, excessive 4 to 8-inch rainfall will threaten flooding in the region.

San Francisco averages 4.19 inches of rain during January. Suppose that the atmospheric river concentrates the most intense rain in the whole area of ​​the bay: in this case, it is possible that the city may receive a month of precipitation in a few days.

Depending on the exact location of the atmospheric river, coastal locations south of San Francisco to Santa Barbara could get between 5 and 10 inches of rain with locally higher amounts. Small but still significant 1 to 2 inches of rain is likely to occur from Los Angeles to San Diego.

Evacuations in progress as the risk of waste flow increases

This heavy rain combined with the burn scars of the record forest fire season of 2020 carries a dangerous risk of sludge from sludge and debris.
Meteorologists are especially concerned about Monterey County and Santa Cruz County, where evacuations are taking place, according to a statement released by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Intense forest fires can compromise soil structure, making sloping terrain more vulnerable to debris flows and mudslides during heavy rains.

If enough rain falls on a recently burned scar, a torrent of mud, rock and debris can cascade down and endanger communities. Properties directly affected by recent fires or those located directly downstream of burn areas are at greatest risk.

Storms could alleviate current drought conditions

While atmospheric rivers can be dangerous, residents rely on them to bring beneficial rainfall to the region.

“Between 30 and 50 percent of annual rainfall on the west coast occurs in a few RA events,” according to NOAA.

California’s winter snow pack, fed in part by atmospheric rivers, is crucial to the state’s water supply. Warmer spring temperatures melt snow and fill reservoirs, so fresh water is available during the drier summer months.

This RA event can be seen as a much needed relief, as the current statewide snow pack is only 40% of the average so far.

This storm, along with an active weather pattern forecast in early February, will help alleviate drought conditions throughout California and the Great Basin.

Severe drought conditions cover nearly 80% of California.

However, like anything in moderation, it is possible to have too many good things.

This whip of time will happen more often

Research shows that the west coast of the United States, specifically California, can expect more climate extremes in the future.
Extreme rainfall, such as the current atmospheric river, will intensify while dry periods are likely to become longer and more frequent, according to climate scientists.
“In a place like California, we really have to think about both risks [drought and flood] simultaneously, “said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles and lead author of a study on the subject.
Drastic changes from extremely wet to dry extremes and vice versa will be almost twice as likely, and will occur on average once every 25 years, in 2100.
According to a study published in the journal Nature Climate Change, dramatic changes are becoming more common and will continue to be so in the coming decades thanks to man-made climate change.

Drastic changes from extremely wet to dry extremes and vice versa will be almost twice as likely, and will occur on average once every 25 years, in 2100.

Climate variability is due, in part, to human activity such as burning fossil fuels.

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