Blog: The promise of a wet January
California is in an impressive wet period. According to the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes, four powerful atmospheric rivers have hit California since Christmas. And their modeling suggests that at least three more significant storms are on their way. It looks like January is going to be a very wet month…. These atmospheric rivers—with their intense low-pressure systems and warm, subtropical moisture—are California’s version of hurricanes. The combination of high rainfall rates and winds causes urban and river flooding, as well as landslides and debris flows (especially in areas that have recently burned), and routinely knocks out power to thousands. But these storms also create an awful lot of benefit for Californians.