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Trillions of Gallons Have Soaked California. Is This the State’s Wettest Winter Ever?

A colossal amount of rain and snow has fallen on California over the past few months from a dozen atmospheric rivers: more than 78 trillion gallons of water and counting.

It’s not the wettest year the Golden State has ever seen, but it is a massive amount of water in a state that has been beset by drought for several years. The number of gallons is according to data from the National Weather Service that was compiled by meteorologist Ryan Maue.

No Telling How Much More Snow Coming for Sierra Nevada

No one really knows how much snow fell on the infamous Donner Party when the pioneers were trapped atop the Sierra Nevada for months and dozens died near Lake Tahoe in the winter of 1846-47.

But this season has now etched its way into the history books as the second snowiest in the 77 years of record-keeping at the Central Sierra Snow Lab — more than 56.4 feet (677 inches, 17.2 meters) with no end in sight.

Another Atmospheric River Will Thrash Storm-Ravaged California, Threatening More Flooding and Hurricane-force Wind Gusts

Swaths of California still saturated by ruthless storms will get walloped by another atmospheric river, spawning fears of renewed flooding and forcing some residents to flee.

The state has already been hammered by at least 11 atmospheric rivers this season. An atmospheric river is like a fire hose that carries saturated air from the tropics to higher latitudes, dumping relentless rain or snow.

Rainfall Breaks Records Across San Diego County, With Flooding Closing Roads

Record rainfall was reported across San Diego County on Wednesday, with numerous roads closed by flooding.

Oceanside Harbor received a record 4.21 inches, Vista 2.24 inches, Alpine 1.80 inches, Ramona 1.73 inches and Campo 1.17 inches.

Soggy California Drenched Anew as Nor’easter Buries New England, New York

The latest in a series of atmospheric river storms soaked California on Tuesday, bringing another deluge of rain to the already-saturated state, while a Nor’easter swirling over New York and New England prompted emergency orders and closed roads.

Several inches of rain was forecast in some areas of California, while as much as 3 feet (0.9 m) of fresh snow was expected in high-mountain elevations where snowdrifts already reach rooftops, according to the National Weather Service.

Here’s How Much Rain Fell in 43 San Diego County Communities Through Early Wednesday

As the rainfall figures below show, San Diego County received heavy precipitation overnight and early Wednesday from a Pacific storm that was enhanced by moisture from the sub-tropics. The system also has kicked up 26 mph winds at San Diego International Airport. And it created fog that reduced the carrier Carl Vinson to a silhouette in San Diego Bay.

The National Weather Service said that an additional 0.50 inches to 0.70 inches could fall by Wednesday night.

Another Atmospheric River is Coming, Ranked 2 to 3 … But What Does That Scale Mean?

Another atmospheric river approaches this Tuesday. It is ranked on a scale of 2 to 3 … but what does that ranking mean and why do we have it?

And, as the climate crisis drives increasingly extreme weather, communicating just how extreme that weather actually is can also be challenging. From extreme heat to atmospheric rivers, weather hazard scales are no longer just for hurricanes and tornadoes.

Deluge From Atmospheric River Event Continues Into Wednesday

The storm system generated by yet another atmospheric river will dump more rain on Southern California this week beginning Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.

One to 3 inches of rainfall is forecast for coastal areas and valleys, while mountain and foothill communities may see 3 to 6 inches of rain by the time the storm passes on Wednesday.

Another ‘Atmospheric River’ Looms for Northern California, But San Diego Will Escape Worst

Millions of Californians are under threat from an approaching storm that could trigger intense downpours and widespread flooding in many parts of the state, including in some mountainous areas already buried under a near-record snowfall.

After a weeks of unusually bad weather on the West Coast, another storm known as an atmospheric river could dump as much as 3 inches of rain in the San Francisco Bay area and across the Central Coast through the weekend, the National Weather Service said in its forecast.

New Storm Could Bring More Peril to California Rivers Already Hit by Deadly Flooding

A powerful storm barreling toward California from the tropical Pacific threatens to trigger widespread river flooding throughout the state as warm rain melts a record accumulation of snowpack and sends runoff surging down mountains and into streams and reservoirs.

Although state officials insist they are prepared to manage runoff from what is now the 10th atmospheric river of a deadly rainy season, at least one expert described the combination of warm rain, epic snowpack and moist soils as “bad news.”