Friday Top of the Scroll: As drought retreats across California, flood risk rises
Though California may be ending its winter with quenched reservoirs and near record snowpack, meteorologists are warning that the state will face increased flooding risk in the coming months as Sierra Nevada snowmelt fills rivers and streams. On Thursday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s spring flood outlook reported that drought conditions will continue to improve in much of the state, but the potential for flooding will worsen in the face of heavy snowpack and elevated soil moisture. … The severity of that flooding remains to be seen, however, and depends on a variety of weather factors, experts say. … Potential triggers for rapid snowmelt could be an early season heat wave or another series of warm storms, Swain said …
Related articles:
- Associated Press: Drought over? Spring outlook finds relief — and flood risk
- Los Angeles Times: Don’t put away the rain gear quite yet, California
- Ventura County Star: Southern California’s Lake Piru spills due to rain storms
- New York Times: A Very Wet Winter Has Eased California’s Drought, but Water Woes Remain
- CA Department of Water Resources: Update on Lake Oroville Operations – March 16, 2023
- Porterville Recorder: Ongoing battle - USACE monitoring Success Lake water releases
- Visalia Times-Delta: Lake Kaweah reaches capacity, no evacuations in Visalia expected
- Fresno Bee: Evacuation warning due to flooding concerns in new area of Tulare County, sheriff says
- Mercury-News: “When can we go home?” Pajaro residents agonize as key question remains unanswered
- Los Angeles Times: Drone photos show sharply higher California reservoirs
- ABC 7 – Los Angeles: Only 36% of California remains in drought after series of storms improve conditions statewide