California ordered evacuations in a high-risk coastal area as a major storm to the state brought strong winds and heavy rain, knocking out power and causing flooding. The emergency was declared by California Governor Gavin Newsom to allow for a quick response in the state while it is still recovering from a powerful storm that hit days earlier.
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Here are the main updates on the storm in California:
- The storm has already knocked out power to more than 76,000 people in the San Francisco Bay Area and nearly 19,000 more along the Central Coast.
- Dozens of flights from San Francisco have been canceled and some schools have also canceled classes for students.
- In Northern California, residents have been warned to stay off the roads, as the new director of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, Nancy Ward, warned: “We anticipate that this may be one of the series of most challenging and impactful storms to land in California in the last five years.
- The storm is one of three atmospheric riverine storms to hit the state in the past week.
- In southern California, the storm is expected to peak overnight. Santa Barbara and Ventura counties are likely to see the most rain, forecasters predicted.
- The storm is forecast to drop up to 10 inches (25.4 centimeters) of rain.
- Although, the storms in total will not be enough to officially end the ongoing drought in the state, which is now entering its fourth year, the US Drought Monitor said.
- California has been facing a severe drought for the past four years.
- Earlier, heavy New Year’s Eve rains in the state prompted people to evacuate in rural Northern California.
