The weather is getting much more intense in California. A massive wall of rain is on its way to the northern part of the state, and communities are preparing for flash floods and dangerous mudslides, reports CBS News.
Bomb cyclone
The storm system on its way to the west coast is so violent that it is known as a “bomb cyclone,” and it helps drive a river of moisture toward northern California. Massive precipitation and strong winds are on the way. In areas that are scorched by forest fires, floods and mudslides can pose a serious danger.
“The water flows off instead of sucking in, and it can start picking up pebbles and then rocks, boulders, trees. And it can be seriously harmful,” says Marty Ralph, an expert in weather and extremes at the University of California at San Diego, told CBS News.
Residents ready to evacuate
On a scale of one to five, he says this system is a fiver. In areas like Nevada County, which has been hit hard by the river fire, emergency officials are telling residents to be ready to evacuate again.
“This will largely put an end to the risk of major fires in Northern California for the season,” Ralph said.
The storm will also have an upside for skiers and bring heavy snowfall to the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Mammoth Ski Resort is already on target for the snowiest October in a decade and plans to open two weeks ahead of schedule.
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Source: CBS News
