A major thunderstorm like the one that produced devastating flash flooding in Texas over the holiday weekend is not likely in the Bay Area or most of California, but climate scientists say that if the perfect weather at the right time of year and geography align, serious flooding can still wreak havoc here. … A big flash-flood-producing thunderstorm in California isn’t entirely out of the picture and can occur during the summertime in the Sierra Nevada or the deserts across the southeastern part of the state. “The kind of thing that happened in Texas could also happen in California,” said Nicholas Pinter, associate director of the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences. “Anyone out hiking in confined, rugged topography needs to be aware that we have this risk of flash flooding in California, kind of similar to Texas.”

Other flood risk news:

• Stocktonia (Calif.): Think a Texas-type flood couldn’t happen in Stockton? Think again
• LAist: 4 things to know about SoCal’s flood systems in the wake of the Texas tragedy
• The Guardian (London, U.K.): Are we heading for ‘managed retreat’? Everything you need to know about floods
• Governing: Blog: Floods are increasingly common. Our water infrastructure is unprepared
• Grist: How climate change is worsening flooding and heavy rainfall