Key Facts Of The Day 1/5

Storms and Flooding

• The powerful winter storm system moving across California has left about 35 million people – or 90% of the California population – under a flash flood watch, and about 600,000 residents were under high wind warnings.
  • Forecasters cautioned that a combination of high winds and saturated ground conditions could topple trees, leading to power outages.
  • The authorities blamed at least two deaths on Wednesday on the storm.
  • The storm was expected to dump up to 6 inches of rain in parts of the San Francisco Bay Area, where most of the region would remain under flood warnings into late Thursday night.
  • In Southern California, the storm was expected to peak in intensity overnight into early Thursday morning, with Santa Barbara and Ventura counties likely to see the most rain.
  • Powerful winds gusting to 85 MPH or more forced the cancellation of more than 70 flights at San Francisco International Airport and downed trees and power lines.
  • Several communities across California issued evacuation orders.
    • In Southern California, evacuations were ordered for those living in areas burned by three recent wildfires in Santa Barbara County, where heavy rain forecast for overnight could cause widespread flooding and unleash debris flows.
  • Several school districts around the Bay Area canceled classes on Thursday.
  • Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Wednesday, saying that he expected more highway closures, infrastructure failures, and mandatory evacuations in the coming days.
  • Further rounds of heavy precipitation are expected to hit California on Saturday and again on Monday.
• On Tuesday, severe weather that swept Illinois produced at least six tornadoes, the largest number of rare January tornadoes recorded in the state since 1989.

Wildfire

• As of December 23, 2022, there are currently 0 large active wildfires that have burned 0 acres. As of December 23, 2022, 65,818 wildfires have burned 7,472,995 acres across the country.
• Several communities across California issued evacuation orders near wildfire burn scars as a winter storm brings flash flood and debris flow risk.

Extreme Heat

• Even if 2023 is a wet year, with recent storms in California filling up reservoirs, it won’t prevent an ongoing water crisis because surface precipitation is only one part of supporting the state’s water needs.
  • Since the reservoirs can’t hold more than a year of water, officials cannot hold it back to conserve for future years.
  • The Colorado River and groundwater also support California’s water needs, and both face a crisis that will not be fixed in one wet year.

New Reports and Data

• A January 2023 study found that climate risk insurance can mitigate economic losses.
• A January 2023 study found that a warming climate means more and stronger Atlantic tropical storms.