Forecasters are predicting a devastating storm will hit Northern California on Wednesday and continue through Friday, with officials warning residents that “this is truly a brutal system” that “needs to be taken seriously.”
The National Weather Service predicted that the storm that hit downtown San Francisco on New Year’s Eve that brought the second-wettest day on record was just a sample of what was coming to the area, CBS reported.
“To put it simply, this will likely be one of the most impactful systems on a widespread scale that this meteorologist has seen in a long while,” the statement from the Bay Area office of the National Weather Service read.
“The impacts will include widespread flooding, roads washing out, hillside collapsing, trees down (potentially full groves), widespread power outages, immediate disruption to commerce, and the worst of all, likely loss of human life,” it added.
Looks like the next #AtmosphericRiver will be an AR-3, according to @CW3E_Scripps data. That means we can expect a mix of beneficial rain, along with the hazards of flooding and wind damage. @NWSBayArea has issued a Flood Watch for the entire Bay Area, from 4am Wed – 4pm Thu. pic.twitter.com/vhoNvrmKxj
— Paul Heggen (@PaulKPIX) January 2, 2023
A flood watch has been issued for the area from Wednesday at 4 am local time to Thursday at 4 pm, the outlet noted.
The NWS projects “rapid rises on creeks and streams, downed trees, multiple mudslides across the region, power outages,” adding, “One area of concern is the Russian River near Guerneville.”
Here we go again, but this time with lots of wind.#PineappleExpress heading our way for midweek.
Checkout the plume of moisture peeling off the tropics, just NW of the Hawaiian Islands.Monday/Tuesday are prep days.#cawx pic.twitter.com/F7Q6qbF5K8
— NWS Bay Area 🌉 (@NWSBayArea) January 2, 2023
The NWS also warned that high winds are expected for most of the northern part of the state, specifically from Mendocino County to Monterey County.
“Major wind and rain impacts are EXPECTED tomorrow into Thursday,” one post read from NWS Bay Area. “Prepare now for flooding, downed trees, and power outages. NEVER drive through flooded roadways! Remember turn around, don’t drown. Stay safe everyone!”
Major wind and rain impacts are EXPECTED tomorrow into Thursday. Prepare now for flooding, downed trees, and power outages. NEVER drive through flooded roadways! Remember turn around, don't drown. Stay safe everyone! #cawx pic.twitter.com/8agOIHccoJ
— NWS Bay Area 🌉 (@NWSBayArea) January 3, 2023
NWS’s post included a series of graphics showing severe amounts of rainfall up and down the northern CA coastline, with warnings of landslides and rockslides.
Severe snowfall is also expected in the central part of the state, with the NWS in Hanford issuing a winter weather storm warning for the Sierra Nevadas from Wednesday until 4 am Friday.
The weather service predicts travel in this area will be “extremely difficult or nearly impossible,” with snowfall of 1 to 3 feet to fall between 6,000-7,000 feet and snowfall of 6-12 inches from 5,000-6,000 feet.