Storm to exacerbate California flooding into Wednesday
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Another dose of heavy rain will add to California flooding situation into Wednesday.
The latest storm unload copious moisture onto central and northern California during Tuesday and Tuesday night, according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Michael Doll.
Heavy rain threatens to cause more flooding, mudslides
After the weekend deluge, several rivers in northern California remain near or above flood stage. This includes the Eel, Navarro, Sacramento, Russian and Middle Fork Feather rivers.
The most recent storm has delivered 2 to 4 inches of rain along the northern California Coast Ranges and west-facing slopes of the Sierra. An additional 1 to 2 inches of rain has fallen across California’s Central Valley.
“Some creeks and rivers have been overwhelmed once again and there is a high danger of rock slides and mudslides,” Doll said.
The risk for flash flooding with this most recent storm is even higher than the weekend given the saturated nature of the soil. Some residents may need to be evacuated as rivers rise and if levees are breached.
Motorists may need to find an alternate route in order to avoid closed roads due to flooding, debris or washouts through Wednesday.
Enough wind can occur in the wake of the storm to knock down more trees and cause additional sporadic power outages.
A bit of rain reached Los Angeles and San Diego early Wednesday morning.
Heavy rain will also affect portions of western Oregon, including Medford and Eugene. Incidents of flash flooding will be more localized along this swath.
On the northern flank of the storm, the air was cold enough to bring snow down to sea level in Portland, Oregon, where a total of 6 to 10 inches will fall.
Dangerous travel due to snow continues over the mountains
A Pacific moisture ascends thousands of feet over the Sierra Nevada, it will be deposited as heavy snow. The latest storms can bring up to a few feet of snow over the high country with 1-2 feet at pass levels.
Snow levels will remain around 4,000 feet into Wednesday. Travel will be dangerous over the mountain passes. Roads may be forced to close for a time due to the intensity of the snow.
“Snow will come down so furiously, it will be nearly impossible to keep roads clear of snow,” Doll said.
Heavy snow will also pile up from the Oregon Cascades to the Bitterroots and Tetons.
Following the storm at midweek, a several-day stretch of dry weather is in store for many hard-hit areas of the Pacific coast.
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