California weather in recent days has been marked by recurring brutal storm systems driven by atmospheric rivers affecting not only the Golden State but also the West Coast.
Latest reports suggest the California storm death toll has increased to 18 as the relentless wet weather continues to impact the region.
The most affected is California where thousands of residents were forced to flee their homes.
In addition, the inclement weather has also led to the occurrence of thunderstorms over the region, prompting meteorologists to issue tornado alerts, including tornado watches and tornado warnings, for Central California.
The alerts are based on the possibility that rare tornadoes could hit the state, shocking many residents who reportedly took to social media about the said weather advisory.
US weather authorities attribute the adverse weather to atmospheric rivers, also called as rivers in the sky, which carry large amounts of water vapor enough to inundate large swathes of lands for a prolonged period of time.
In the case of the Western US, this phenomenon transfers moist from nearby bodies of water like the Pacific Ocean and Gulf of Mexico as a fuel for heavy rain.
California Storm Death Toll
PLANADA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 11: In an aerial view, cars sit in floodwaters on January 11, 2023 in Planada, California. The Central Valley town of Planada was devastated by widespread flooding after a severe atmospheric river event moved through the area earlier in the week. The San Francisco Bay Area and much of California continues to be drenched by powerful atmospheric river events that have brought high winds and flooding rains. The storms have toppled trees, flooded roads and cut power to tens of thousands. Storms are lined up over the Pacific Ocean and are expected to bring more rain and wind through the end of the week.
Sonoma County officials on Wednesday, January 11, announced a person was found dead in a car submerged under eight to 10 feet of floodwaters, bringing the total number of confirmed storm-related death across California to 18, as cited by The Seattle Times.
Previous assessment said 17 people died from the California flooding due to torrential rain, combined with mudslides and strong winds.
The latest weather system, which is a seventh atmospheric river storm since Christmas Day threatened to inundate the state which is still recovering from the storm onslaught in the region in late December.
So far, the Pacific storm train has caused not only mudslides and widespread flooding but also impassable roads, fallen trees, and downed power lines.
Persistent Wet Weather
The National Weather Service (NWS) called the situation in California as a "relentless wet weather" due to the influx of steady moist onshore flow and atmospheric river, which will continue in the region by at least Thursday, January 12.
In its short-range forecast, torrential rain is expected from northern California to Oregon and Washington's coastal areas.
The NWS also reported that a tornado briefly touched down in Calaveras County, California, on Tuesday morning, causing extensive tree damage with no reported fatalities, as cited by The Seattle Times.
Furthermore, the Pacific Gas & Electric Co. stated almost 41,000 of its customers in Northern California and Central California remained without electricity due to storm-related power outages on Wednesday morning.
Millions of Californians have faced evacuation orders in recent days and the situation is likely to continue due to the growing mudslide and flood risks.
Los Angeles and Montecito are some of the areas where residents are ordered by local officials to evacuate, according to The New York Times.
Related Article: California Storm: Flash Floods Kill At Least 17 People, Millions Under Evacuation Orders