California: Heavy rain lashed Northern California for the 7th time in a row since Christmas on Wednesday, adding to the woes of a state already battered by floods, storms, power outages, and waterlogging. Jack Taylor, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center, said Wednesday’s rain was relatively weak and occurred mostly in northwestern California. He predicted heavy rains in most parts of the state later this week. The Weather Service said, “The parade of storms is expected to continue, bringing even more heavy rain next week.”
The lower part of San Francisco has recorded 13.6 inches (34.5 cm) of rain since December 1. The National Weather Service said that from the morning of December 26 to January 11, San Francisco International Airport, the city of Oakland, and the city of Stockton all recorded rainfall over these 16 days. Large parts of central California have received more than half of their normal annual rainfall since December 26. Gusts of wind were shaking trees and it continued to rain through the morning on the Mendocino County coast, about 160 miles (260 km) north of San Francisco. Many big trees were uprooted in the storm and the raging sea scattered a pile of debris on the shores. Utility trucks lined up along Highway 1, deployed to provide relief to people in case of power cuts.
Several roads across the state were blocked due to mudslides and snowfall. The state transport department on Wednesday urged drivers to stay off the roads until the road is cleared. California Governor Gavin Newsom said that since the beginning of the year, at least 17 people have died due to the storm. Another victim was found Wednesday morning, when rescue workers in Sonoma County found a bar submerged about 10 feet (3 meters) in floodwater 100 yards (meters) from a road, with a 43-year-old woman lying dead Was. In Mendocino County, a 68-year-old woman was killed when a tree fell on her home. A 37-year-old driver of a tree service boom truck was killed when his vehicle skidded off the road and flipped several times.
The local sheriff’s department said the search continued Wednesday for a 5-year-old boy who was swept away by floodwaters near San Miguel, a small village in central California. According to data from Poweroutage.us, strong winds have disrupted power to 54,000 homes and businesses as of Wednesday afternoon. Several evacuation orders issued across the state have been rescinded, but not in the central California rural town of Planada, where homes and businesses are still under water. The rains have helped in providing relief but have not ended the drought of 2 decades. With the state’s reservoir storage only 82% of the average for this time of year, the state’s water resources department has warned that the remainder of the rainy season could see below-average rainfall.
