Officials in California are taking precautionary measures by distributing sandbags, positioning rescue swimmers, and advising residents to prepare their go-bags ahead of an atmospheric river set to bring significant rain, strong winds, and flooding risks on Thursday, particularly in regions recently affected by wildfires.
In Oregon and Idaho, emergency shelters have been opened in anticipation of a harsh combination of snow and ice beginning Thursday, while Portland has treated its streets with 2,000 gallons of liquid anti-icer.
Southern California is forecasted to receive up to 6 inches (approximately 15 centimeters) of rain in mountainous areas and around 3 inches (about 7.6 centimeters) in coastal and valley regions, according to Brent Bower, a hydrologist with the National Weather Service. The powerful wind gusts may cause trees to fall, disrupt power, and delay flight schedules.
Evacuation alerts have been issued for Mandeville Canyon and various areas impacted by the Palisades Fire, the most devastating fire in Los Angeles city history, due to fears of debris flows associated with the impending storm. Warnings have likewise been issued for Trabuco Canyon and other areas close to the Airport Fire burn scar.
All schools in Malibu were closed on Thursday, and Knott’s Berry Farm shut down early on Wednesday in light of the atmospheric river, which is essentially a lengthy band of water vapor transporting moisture from tropical regions to higher latitudes.
According to climate scientist Daniel Swain from the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, while the area desperately needs rainfall, the expected intensity could lead to debris flows and flash flooding in wildfire-scarred regions. The lack of vegetation in these areas increases the risk as it leaves the soil vulnerable, and additional loose debris, including ash, soil, and rocks, poses a further threat.
County officials have warned that road closures may occur, emphasizing the importance of residents being ready should a mandatory evacuation become necessary.
This rainfall follows earlier storms on Wednesday that produced heavy snow and freezing rain across a significant portion of the U.S. East Coast, from Kentucky to the nation’s capital, resulting in numerous traffic accidents, electrical outages, and flooding risks for waterways.
The storm, which traversed from Kentucky to Maryland and beyond, dumped over 14 inches (37 centimeters) of snow on Iron Gate, a small town in western Virginia, while nearby White Sulphur Springs recorded 12 inches. By Thursday morning, more than 150,000 customers in Virginia and over 13,000 in North Carolina were without power, according to PowerOutage.us, with Appalachian Power deploying over 5,700 workers to assist in power restoration across West Virginia, Virginia, and Tennessee.
Several inches of snow blanketed regional airports, as reported by Scott Kleebauer, a meteorologist from the Weather Prediction Center.
The weather chaos resulted in nearly 7,000 flight cancellations or delays nationwide on Wednesday, including close to 300 at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, as logged by FlightAware.com.
Tragically, snowy conditions contributed to a fatal head-on collision in Kentucky’s Nelson County on Tuesday when a driver lost control and collided with a semi-truck. A state of emergency has been declared in Virginia following around 850 traffic accidents reported by state police, many involving injuries, although the exact causes remain unverified. Maryland State Police noted 235 crashes alongside 185 vehicles left inoperable or abandoned.
Further south in West Virginia, numerous crashes led to temporary closures of major highways.
In the Pacific Northwest, the weather service indicated that freezing rain and snow are anticipated in northwest Oregon and southwestern Washington, raising concerns over potential power outages. Multnomah County officials in Oregon have extended their state of emergency at least through Thursday and opened six emergency shelters, with 356 individuals seeking refuge as of Tuesday night. Wind chill factors in Portland may drop to 10 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 12 degrees Celsius).
Idaho has also issued a cold weather advisory, with northern areas facing wind chills potentially as low as minus 13 degrees Fahrenheit (approximately minus 25 degrees Celsius).
An ice storm expected early Thursday into Friday in the Portland area could disrupt flower and gift deliveries for Valentine’s Day. Julia Duncan, co-owner of Flowers in Flight, remains optimistic, recalling that previous winters have seen ice storms and that customers are usually willing to make an effort for their loved ones. “It’s Valentine’s Day!” Duncan remarked. “We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.” She also commented on the neighborhood’s tendency for customers to do pickups and mentioned a few drivers prepared to navigate through the challenging weather, expressing hope that the impact would be minimal.
