Weather is roaring back across the Pacific Coast as a powerful storm system spins off the coast, bringing with it a powerful Pineapple Express atmospheric river.
The storm threatens a myriad of impacts, including flash flooding, wind damage, power outages, and possible landslides.
The Pineapple Express is a weather pattern that brings large amounts of moisture from the tropical Pacific Ocean near Hawaii and slams the West Coast.
This weather pattern can carry up to 27 times more water than the Mississippi River and typically brings several inches of rain.
“The Pacific Northwest has been bearing the brunt of the wet weather over the past few days,” said FOX Weather Bureau meteorologist Jane Minnaar.
“Now, the situation is finally moving along the coast. So, in addition to rain, there are also wind warnings on the west coast, especially in the mountains.”
Wind gusts reached 55 to 70 mph in several highlands across Northern California, including gusts as high as 110 mph along the Pine Mountain Fire Road in Marin County, at 1,700 feet above sea level, just north of San Francisco. there were.
Strong winds also toppled a tree and injured a child in the Saratoga area south of San Jose.
Fortunately, the child escaped with only minor injuries, but the situation could have turned out very differently, firefighters said.
Strong winds could reach 60 to 70 mph along the coasts of southern Oregon and northern California, with higher gusts in the mountains.
Wind gusts could reach 50 to 55 mph in coastal areas of the San Francisco Bay Area, and widespread wind gusts of 45 to 50 mph were possible across large areas of Northern California.
As a result, strong wind warnings have been issued locally. These winds can knock down trees and cause power outages. There may also be numerous delays at San Francisco International Airport.
Flood watches will be covering much of the Northern and Central California coast, including the San Francisco Bay Area, through Friday morning as heavy rain is expected to cause flooding of roads and streams. Large rivers may overflow their banks and cause small floods.
According to the FOX Prediction Center, the progressive nature of the rain, as it moves southward relatively quickly, will be a limiting factor for more significant flooding risk from this storm.
Rainfall in Northern California, including the San Francisco Bay Area, is expected to reach 2 to 3 inches. Coastal areas could see 4 to 6 inches of rain.
Snow forecast for Sierra Nevada mountains
Heavy snow will begin to fall in the Sierra Nevada starting Wednesday. Travel will be difficult and impossible as roads will be covered in snow and visibility will be reduced at times, leading to possible chain restrictions and road closures.
Snow could fall up to 2 inches per hour. Up to 4 feet of snow could fall at the highest elevations, and snow could accumulate up to 3,500 feet, according to the FOX Prediction Center. This will help with a small amount of snow at just 50% of average, but it won’t completely eliminate the snow deficit.
Snow will also have an impact in the mountains of Southern California. The FOX Prediction Center adds that due to the cold nature of this system, snow levels could drop below 4,000 feet.
Those traveling through the Grapevine region along I-5 should travel slowly as the snow depth is below 4,000 feet.
On the coast, large, powerful waves are expected to hit the coast from Oregon to Southern California. A strict surf advisory has been issued for large waves that could tear apart popular beaches.
The National Weather Service (NWS) predicts wave heights will range from 22 to 26 feet from the southern Oregon coast to the San Francisco coast. Waves are expected to be 8 to 12 feet on Los Angeles beaches and 10 feet on San Diego beaches.
Pineapple Express rolls into the Los Angeles area on Thursday
The storm is expected to move into Southern California and the Los Angeles area on Thursday, likely leading to traffic congestion during the morning commute.
Low-lying areas are expected to see 1 to 2 inches of rain, while mountains and surrounding hills could see 2 to 5 inches of rain. The rain is expected to cause flooding, road closures and debris on mountain and canyon roads.
Particularly vulnerable will be people across the San Diego metropolitan area, which was hit by last Monday’s devastating floods.
The city of San Diego has already issued evacuation advisories for the same areas where flash flooding occurred last week.
The NWS warned of an increased risk of landslides in Western Washington due to heavy rain.
Two landslides have already occurred, one in Seattle and the other at the base of Olympic Mountain.
The main storm system will move into the upper atmosphere by late Thursday.
As a result, widespread rain will give way to scattered showers and a few thunderstorms, which will continue into Friday.
Second storm hits Southern California, potentially causing more flooding
However, this is not the end of the turbulent pattern. Another storm, possibly even more powerful, is expected to make landfall in Southern California later this weekend.
“(This storm) is the most concerning storm (this week) with an increased potential for damaging flooding,” the Los Angeles NWS wrote.
The FOX Prediction Center said initial forecasts indicate this slow-moving storm could bring several days of heavy rain to the region.
More widespread flooding and further heavy snow are likely.
