LOS ANGELES — Unprecedented flooding has struck parts of Northern California, unleashing over a foot of rain in just three days. Severe wildfires in Los Angeles County have led to thousands of evacuation orders, while San Francisco experienced its first-ever tornado warning due to extreme weather. Additionally, rough seas caused significant damage, including the destruction of part of a wharf in Santa Cruz.
This series of intense weather events highlights California’s increasing vulnerability to natural disasters.
On Tuesday, powerful storms produced dangerous waves, with heights forecasted to reach up to 35 feet along the Santa Cruz coastline. The National Weather Service issued a high surf warning, advising residents to avoid beaches and piers.
Meteorologists note that such extreme weather is characteristic of a La Niña winter, which traditionally leads to wetter conditions in Northern California, while the south remains dry. The recent tornado warning in the Bay Area, however, is a rarer event.
The tornado warning, prompted by storm winds gusting up to 60 mph, affected nearly a million residents in San Francisco and nearby San Mateo County. Damage included overturned vehicles and downed trees near a Scotts Valley shopping area, resulting in injuries. Though tornadoes are known to occur in California, they seldom impact populated regions.
In San Francisco, strong winds caused tree falls that damaged property but were attributed to straight-line winds rather than a tornado.
The weather system also brought heavy snowfall to the northern Sierra Nevada region.
Experts assert that climate change is amplifying the effects of atmospheric rivers, which are responsible for significant rain in California. While these storms are pivotal for the state’s water supply, they can also lead to hazardous flooding during consecutive event occurrences.
Tragically, this week’s storms in Santa Cruz resulted in one death due to debris and another person was swept into the ocean. The rough surf also caused damage to a construction project at a municipal wharf, leading to three individuals falling into the water, with two needing rescue.
A series of atmospheric rivers are predicted to continue affecting the region, unleashing high winds and heavy snowfall typical for this time of year.
Unlike previous years, the frequency of these storms is unusual, with little pause in between weather events, raising concerns over safety.
Recent storms prior to Thanksgiving resulted in record rainfall exceeding a foot in Santa Rosa, highlighting the increasing intensity of weather extremes.
Meanwhile, Southern California remains dry, exacerbating fire risks in the area. The Franklin Fire, one of the most recent blazes, has led to evacuation orders for approximately 20,000 locals and has impacted students at a nearby university. This fire, fanned by seasonal Santa Ana winds, has left a trail of destruction in Malibu, damaging numerous structures and contributing to California’s alarming wildfires that have scorched over 1 million acres this year alone.
The Santa Ana winds, which peak in December, have also been linked to above-average temperatures in Southern California, creating conditions ripe for continued unusual weather phenomena.
As the travel and seasonal holidays approach, residents remain on high alert as California grapples with the intensifying impacts of climate-related extreme weather events.
