A levee burst on the Pajaro River in Monterey County, California, on Friday, flooding the town of Pajaro and forcing evacuations as California endured another “atmospheric river” — with more rain and flooding to come.
The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for the San Francisco Bay Area “[f]rom Monday evening through late Tuesday night” as yet another such “river” is on the way, with little break in between the storms.
STRATHMORE, CA – MARCH 10: In an aerial view, a flooded farm is seen on March 10, 2023 near Strathmore, California. Another in a series of atmospheric river storms from the Pacific Ocean has brought a warm rain to the region, which is falling on top of, and melting, large areas of snow in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, increasing the risk of floods at lower elevations. This year’s destructive and deadly storms have produced heavy rains and a near-record snowpack in the Sierras, which provides water for millions of Californians. As a result of one of California’s wettest winters on record, most of the state has gotten relief from years of drought. (Footage by David McNew/Getty Images)
The flooding, as captured in images and drone footage by the San Francisco Chronicle, highlights the unique vulnerability of the Santa Cruz mountains to this year’s flooding, which came after predictions of a dry winter.
STRATHMORE, CA – MARCH 10: Motorists maneuver a flooded roadway on March 10, 2023 in Strathmore, California. Another in a series of atmospheric river storms from the Pacific Ocean has brought a warm rain to the region, which is falling on top of, and melting, large areas of snow in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, increasing the risk of floods at lower elevations. This year’s destructive and deadly storms have produced heavy rains and a near-record snowpack in the Sierras, which provides water for millions of Californians. As a result of one of California’s wettest winters on record, most of the state has gotten relief from years of drought. (Footage by David McNew/Getty Images)
The Chronicle notes:
The Santa Cruz Mountains, which have certainly lived up to their reputation for rain, have taken the hit this winter because of both the distinct weather and the area’s enduring geography.
The orientation of the mountains, facing west to southwest, means they’re struck head-on by storm cells off the Pacific Ocean, which generally move from southwest to northeast. The relatively steep and lofty terrain also boosts the orographic lift, or the movement of air up the slopes, resulting in greater cloud formation and precipitation.
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Additionally, the meteorology has been optimal for wet weather. The jet stream this year has dipped a bit south of where it usually is, funneling Pacific fronts right into the Santa Cruz area, said Jan Null, meteorologist with the private forecasting company, Golden Gate Weather Services.
This was meant to have been a third consecutive winter of drought, with La Niña atmospheric conditions prevailing. But a series of “atmospheric rivers” — long patterns of moisture conveyed from the warm Pacific waters to the cool land mass of the coast — has hit California, bringing heavy rain. Recent blizzards that have moved from north to south across the state have also dumped copious amounts of snow on interior mountains.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has mobilized the California National Guard and obtained federal disaster funding — after belatedly declaring a state of emergency and leaving the state for a private visit to Mexico.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of the new biography, Rhoda: ‘Comrade Kadalie, You Are Out of Order’. He is also the author of the recent e-book, Neither Free nor Fair: The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
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