Californians still weathering effects of extreme snow, rainfall
February was the wettest month Los Angeles has experienced in 26 years, the National Weather Service reports.
The beginning of 2024 has brought a barrage of wild weather to the west coast, and with it, flooding, mudslides, power outages, staggering amounts of snow and hurricane-force winds.
The latest of these events was a storm that hit the Sierra Nevada, creating blizzard-like conditions that culminated in over ten feet of snow in some areas and recorded wind gusts over 170 mph. The storm remained in the area for days, finally coming to an end on Monday. However, additional snow was predicted to fall across high-elevation areas of Northern California and the Northwest as a new storm entered the area. CNN reports that these conditions have caused extensive travel problems, including the closure of a 70-mile stretch of Interstate 80 in California, near the Nevada border, for more than two days after drivers were reportedly getting stranded on the roadway.
The blizzard comes on the heels of atmospheric river storms that have dropped heavy rains in areas of California since early February.
The NOAA describes atmospheric rivers as such: “Atmospheric rivers are relatively narrow regions in the atmosphere that are responsible for most of the transport of water vapor from the tropics. Atmospheric rivers come in all shapes and sizes but those that contain the largest amounts of water vapor and strongest winds are responsible for extreme rainfall events and floods. This type of hydrologic event can affect the entire west coast of North America. These extreme events can disrupt travel, induce mudslides, and cause damage to life and property. Not all atmospheric rivers are disruptive. Many are weak and provide beneficial rain or high elevation snow that is crucial to the water supply.”
On February 21, the National Weather Service (NWS) reported that downtown Los Angeles had already surpassed historical records, making it the fourth-wettest February on record, and the seventh-wettest calendar month since weather data collection began in July 1877 (with a week still remaining in the month). As of this NWS report, downtown Los Angeles had received 12.56 inches of rainfall – making it the wettest month the city had seen for 26 years.
While damage from the atmospheric river storms is still being assessed, the Los Angeles Fire Department reported the following calls for service in response to the storm as of February 21:
- 159 reports of fallen trees and branches
- 98 reported flooding incidents, including blockages of catch basins and storm drains
- 63 reports of debris and mudflow
AccuWeather reports that overall, these early-February storms resulted in nearly 500 mudslides, which caused structural damage in some areas. An early estimate from AccuWeather predicted total damage and economic loss could be as high as $11 billion.
The Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) issued a release in February advising those affected by the west coast storms to:
- Start the claims process as soon as possible.
- Understand what is covered under their homeowners, renters or business policy. Any damage caused by mudflow or flooding would likely only be covered under a separate flood insurance policy.
- Review their additional living expenses (ALE) coverage.
- Make sure they have comprehensive coverage for their vehicle.