Storm to Unload Rain, Gusty Winds in Southern California This Week; Localized Power Outages, Travel Delays Expected

Residents and motorists in Southern California can expect rain and gusty winds starting Tuesday that could result in significant power outages and travel delays.

The first week of February in California would record drier conditions and wind gusts after the city experienced weeks of relentless rain in January.

Fox Weather News recently reported intense Santa Ana winds unleashed in portions of Southern California, including in San Diego and Los Angeles.

• The report said trees were blown away due to strong Santa Ana Winds. San Diego recorded 93 mph wind gusts.

Localized power outages and travel delays

According to AccuWeather's latest weather forecast (February 6, 2023), the report explained that gusty winds are expected to affect portions of Los Angeles and San Diego.

The windy conditions in Southern California will be noticeable this week. There is a chance that the gusty winds in the region would result in slower commutes and significant travel delays.

Homeowners should ensure that items outside their homes are secured due to the windy outlook, especially since winds can blow away trees and power lines.

Relentless storms and drought conditions in California

Residents in Southern California are slowly recovering from the impact of relentless storms in January 2023.

According to CNN, the moisture-packed storms, a blast of heavy atmospheric rivers and bomb cyclones helped bring heavy rain and snow to California and the West Coast.

Many residents immediately evacuated due to the rapid rising of floodwaters. The flooding rainfall in California lasted for about three weeks, adding much concern for Californians.

Although the flooding raised concerns over the safety of communities in California, USA Today reported that the unabated rain in the state helped ease the prolonged drought in the region.

California has suffered from prolonged drought due to less rain. The beneficial rain in January 2023 would be significant to address the drought.

The LA Times reported that Californians were urged to reduce water use by 15% in 2021 due to declining water-level in California's reservoirs and lakes.

The report explained that climate change and excessive water use have resulted in California's significantly low water level. In addition, the warming conditions in the state resulted in lesser rain.

As a result, the significant rainfall in January 2023 and the snowpack in California's mountains would reduce the drought in the state, especially during the summer season.

Furthermore, NBC Los Angeles said that the snowpack in California is a meaningful beginning for the prolonged dry conditions.

On the other hand, the BBC report explained that the weeks of rain in California would not be enough to address the drought.

BBC reported that the moisture-packed storm would not reverse the prolonged drought, adding that it would need years of wet conditions.

Effective methods are needed. Experts explained the importance of increasing the reservoir capacity to store more water during flooding.

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