A major winter storm, with winds gusting up to near hurricane strength is moving towards northern California. Dubbed a “bomb cyclone” due to rapid central pressure drop, it more than qualifies for the 24 millibars (mb) in 24 hours “bomb” cyclone designation.
As of 11AM Wednesday Jan 4th, the central pressure of the storm as it was just off the California coast was 28.33 inches (959.36 millibars) as seen in the graphic below. That pressure is lower than the centrral pressure of many hurricanes.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has produced forecasts for areas of likely flooding that covers much of the Sacramento Valley and the north coast.
Because this winter storm is relatively warm, snow levels are averaging higher, causing rain to fall on snow-laden areas, creating snow-melt which will overwhelm already waterlogged soil, making for fast runoff into creeks and rivers.
The NWS has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the Northern Sierra Nevada.
Heavy snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 4 to 10 inches, except 6 to 18 inches west of Highway 395. Lowest valleys below 4000-4500 feet elevation are only expected to see up to 3 inches of snow.
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Snow levels will start off below 4000 feet before briefly increasing to 5000-6000 feet Wednesday afternoon. Snow levels will then fall again to 4500-5000 feet Thursday. This storm will come in 2 parts, and areas east of Highway 395 may see a brief break Wednesday evening.
For the areas Near lake Tahoe, the NWS advises the situation is even worse:
Heavy snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 8 to 14 inches, except 1 to 2 feet above 7000 feet. Localized amounts up to 3 feet are expected for the Sierra crest. Winds gusting as high as 100 mph over Sierra ridgelines with gusts up to 40 mph in the Tahoe Basin.
In addition, widespread damaging winds are forecast from this winter storm.
Winds on the valley floor are expected to gust as high as 60 mph, with higher elevations seeing stronger wind gusts.
Dr. Ryan Maue had this to say on Twitter:
Arctic cyclone hits west coast of US. Large amounts of snow will fall in the mountains and rain in the lowlands in California. More fronts with precipitation will come in from the north.
So….”climate change” caused the drought, and then “climate change” fixes the drought. Hmmm. Seems to me like “climate change” routinely cancels itself out.
California’s natural climate is drought and flood, flood and drought. I grew up in Los Angeles, and lived in South California until I was 22 years old. I fought brush fires, I fought flooding and mudslides and raging creeks that were washing coastal cities into the sea.
During the same period, we suffered (lack of) water emergencies on a regular basis.
That is the climate there — these storms are not the exception but the rule.
Many will comment on the historic storm that left nearly the entire Central Valley of California a lake in the 1800s. All the wonderful rich soil is there in the Central Valley because of these types of events washing the hills and mountains into the valley.
Note that this series of storms is bring much needed water and snow pack to the help modify the long-term drought across the entire Southwest.
—the name of the type of storm is being used by doom-sayers to their advantage “BOMB cyclone” — its a bomb, run for your life!
Another cyclone from the north is approaching the US west coast.
Interesting that heavy CA rain is usually associated w/El Ninos, but here it happens during La Nina w/storms moving southeastward.
You Dropped The Bomb On Me
The stratospheric polar vortex is blocked over the Bering Sea by the accumulation of ozone in the region.
https://earth.nullschool.net/#2023/01/06/1300Z/wind/isobaric/10hPa/orthographic=-137.76,69.88,406
Precipitation accumulates on the western side of the mountains.
Meanwhile, frigid air from over central Canada will flow toward the Great Lakes.
Another low from the north is fast approaching California. The front will again pull a lot of moisture from the south.
At least two more cyclones from the north will reach California in the next few days.
Warning for California of impending heavy precipitation.
A secondary low with heavy precipitation reaches California. It will stop over the mountains.
One more low is waiting in the Pacific lined up for California. It too will bring heavy precipitation.
In two days another cold front will reach California, in four days another.
Does the storm get a name? If not, why not?
Very heavy precipitation north of Sacramento. Heavy snowfall in the mountains.
The low is located over California.