Los Angeles – After Monday’s storm shattered daily rainfall records, another round of moisture moving in from the Pacific Ocean is threatening flooding for millions along much of the California coast. Meanwhile, heavy snow is spreading from the mountain ranges of Northern California into the southern part of the Sierra Nevada, increasing California’s snowpack and eventually reaching the Rockies in the Far East, which are in critical snow shortage.
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Flooding was reported in parts of California on Monday after 1-2 inches of rain fell in the Los Angeles Basin and 3-5 inches in the Coast Range north of the Bay Area.
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Urban flooding inundated parts of LA, with water rising to the mid-door panels of some sedans in the Westwood neighborhood.
Parts of Topanga Canyon Boulevard in LA’s Westside were closed due to debris slides.
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Los Angeles was also placed under a severe hurricane warning for the fifth time in the past two years. According to the Fox Forecast Center, the county has gone eight years (2016–2024) without such a warning.
Stockton and Modesto set new daily rainfall records with 1.81 and 1.65 inches of rain, respectively.
More rain is expected across the state Tuesday, with the heaviest rain expected in San Francisco by Tuesday morning, while the heaviest storms will reach Los Angeles Tuesday night.
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The low-level flash flood threat covers the California coast from just north of the Bay Area south to San Diego, before reaching its peak Wednesday morning.
A third round of less intense rain will target the state on Thursday.
Meanwhile, heavy snow will fall from the Northern California mountain range to the southern portion of the Sierra on Tuesday. Wind gusts between 45-55 mph will create whiteout driving conditions at times in the northern mountain passes.
More than 30 inches of snowfall has been reported in many areas of the region, with locally more than 40 inches of snowfall recorded through Sunday.
High winds and icy conditions closed part of Interstate 80 from Colfax, California, to the Nevada state line in the northern Sierras on Tuesday, Caltrans said.
Authorities on Tuesday discouraged travel through the northern mountain passes.
However, these storms will be beneficial to California’s snowpack and the Rockies in the Far East, which are severely short of snow.
After several weeks of dry weather, a decline in the jet stream has opened the door for a round of storms to bring abundant rain and snow to the West Coast.
There is a chance of intermittent snow Wednesday, mostly limited to elevations above 3,000 feet in Southern California. But those driving through Grapevine on Interstate 5 should be aware of a possible closure Wednesday night.
However, in Northern California, snow could fall below 1,000 feet, creating the potential for flooding in places like Redding, which hasn’t recorded measurable snow in three years.
All told, the higher peaks of the Northern Sierra could see up to 8 feet of snow by Friday, while Lake Tahoe and the San Gabriel Mountains could see up to 4 feet.
As these storms move east, they will provide much-needed snow to the Rockies, where some snowpacks are at record lows.
Utah is experiencing record levels of snowfall across the state.
Aerial images of the ongoing snow drought around Salt Lake City, Utah.
According to the Fox Forecast Center, current measurements show ice-water equivalent to about 6 percent across the state, a level not seen this low since 1981.
Winter snow provides essential water supplies for drinking and agriculture throughout the West during the summer months.
Stay with FOX Weather for the latest information on storms headed to California.
Original article source: The monster storm caused flooding and heavy rain in parts of California while the Sierra Nevada received heavy snowfall
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