Evacuation warnings amid flooding after California hurricane – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Evacuation warnings were in place in rural northern California on New Year’s Day after a powerful storm brought heavy rain or heavy snow to much of the state, destroying levees, blocking traffic and closing major highways.
Major flooding occurred in agricultural areas about 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of Sacramento, where rivers burst their banks and flooded dozens of vehicles along State Route 99. .Emergency crews rescued motorists on New Year’s Eve into Sunday morning and the highway remained closed.
Residents of the low-lying communities of Point Pleasant, Glanville Tract and Franklin Pond near Interstate 5 were urged to prepare to leave before other roads are cut off by rising water and evacuation becomes impossible.
“Cosumnes River and Mokelumne River floodwaters are expected to move southwest toward I-5 and could reach these areas by mid-night,” the service office said. Sacramento County Emergency. Twitter Sunday afternoon. “Animals in affected areas should be moved to higher ground.”
North of the state capital, crews cleared fallen trees from roads and sidewalks as at least 33,000 customers were without power Sunday, up from more than 150,000 a day earlier, according to a map on the line of Sacramento Municipal District.
Near Lake Tahoe, dozens of drivers were rescued on New Year’s Eve along Interstate 80 after cars spun in snow during a blizzard, the California Department of Transportation said. The main route into the mountains from the San Francisco Bay Area reopened Sunday to passenger vehicles with chains.
“The roads are very slippery, so let’s all work together and slow down so we can keep I-80 open,” the California Highway Patrol said on Twitter. Several other freeways, including State Route 50, have reopened.
More than 4 feet (1.2 meters) of snow accumulated in the upper Sierra Nevada, and Mammoth Mountain Ski Area said the heavy, wet snow would cause significant delays in opening the chair lifts. On Saturday, the resort reported multiple lift closures, citing high winds, low visibility and ice.
A so-called atmospheric river storm drags a long, broad plume of moisture from the Pacific Ocean. Flooding and landslides have closed sections of roads across the state.
Rain totaled 5.46 inches (13.87 cm) in downtown San Francisco on New Year’s Eve, making it the second wettest day on record, behind the November 1994 deluge, the National Weather Service said. Videos on Twitter showed mud-colored water flowing through the streets of San Francisco, and a staircase in Oakland was turned into a veritable waterfall by heavy rain.
In Southern California, several people were rescued after floodwaters inundated vehicles in San Bernardino and Orange counties. No major injuries were reported.
With the area drying out on New Year’s Day and no rain expected at Monday’s Rose Parade in Pasadena, spectators have already started taking their seats for the annual flower show.
The rain was welcome in drought-stricken California. The past three years have been the driest on record in the state, but more rain is needed to make a significant difference.
This is the first of several storms expected to cross the state within a week. Saturday’s system will be warmer and wetter, while this week’s storms will be cooler, said Hannah Chandler-Cooley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento.
The Sacramento area could receive a total of 4 to 5 inches (10 to 13 centimeters) of rain during the week, Chandler-Cooley said.
Another round of heavy rain is also expected for Southern California on Tuesday or Wednesday, the Los Angeles-area office of the National Weather Service said.
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