New Pacific Storm Poses Risks to Life and Property for California by Early Next Week: Meteorologists Warn

A new Pacific storm will pose risks to life and property, as well as cause potential disruption to travel, for California by early next week, according to US meteorologists.

The storm is part of a series of Pacific storm train that has wreaked havoc across West Coast, particularly California.

The looming new storm will arrive after a combination of bomb cyclone and atmospheric river brought heavy rain, high winds, and flooding in different parts of California, causing power outages to thousands of residents across the Golden State.

Coastal areas in California were also affected by large waves and tide surges, causing immediate flooding.

In recent days, weather reports have attributed the weather hazards to a rainstorm powered by the said combination, which triggered evacuation orders earlier this week.

For the meantime, more storms are expected during the remainder of the weekend, according to weather forecasters.

Local authorities have warned motorists against the risk of floods and travelers who may face significant disruption in major hubs like the cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco.

New Pacific Storm

(Photo : Photo by JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images)
Drivers barrel into standing water on Interstate 101 in San Francisco, California on January 4, 2023. - A bomb cyclone smashed into California on January 4, 2023, bringing powerful winds and torrential rain that was expected to cause flooding in areas already saturated by consecutive storms.

The approaching, standalone Pacific storm by early next week could be the strongest amongst all the Pacific storm train that the US region has experienced since the end of 2022, according to AccuWeather meteorologists.

In particular, California has experienced a "frenzy of storms" since the later part of 2022 yet the US weather forecasting company's experts said that the storm onslaught is far from over.

This particular storm arriving in California cannot be understated, according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Joe Bauer.

The forecasters say the threat is based on estimations that the system could bring large amount of moisture and potentially lead to "catastrophic" flooding; in addition to widespread landslides and road closure.

The AccuWeather experts add the amount of rain and snow expected from the lone storm would be enough to bring flooding concerns and affect travel in the mountains, highlighting it could reach extreme and historic levels relative to the other storms.

Also Read: Pacific Storm Train Delivers Another Round of Rain and Snow to California

Pacific Storm Train

US weather reports dubbed the weather events as the "Pacific storm train" that was mentioned earlier.

Due to the recurring weather hazards, California declared a state of emergency earlier this week as the collective storm produced 45-feet waves, caused torrential rain on already saturated ground, and prompted the issuance of warnings for floods and mudslides, according to USA Today.

California Governor Gavin Newsom authorized members of the state National Guard to assist in disaster response as the massive storm ravaged most of the Golden State's coastline.

What is a Bomb Cyclone?

Forecasters frequently used the term "bomb cyclone," which refers to a storm or winter hurricane that is very rare and yet powerful enough to cause high winds and bring heavy precipitation in either the form of rain or snow to many areas.

What defines it is how quickly the pressure drops in the low-pressure mass, by approximately 24 millibars in 24 hours, according to The New York Times.

Since late December 2022, this weather phenomenon has affected not only the US but also Canada.