LOS ANGELES: Southern California has been experiencing flash floods due to torrential rains. Warnings of debris are flowing across Southern California, especially in fire-scarred areas. A state of emergency has been declared in several counties.
The floods were driven by the atmospheric river, “the Pineapple Express.” The river moves heavy moisture from the tropical climes of Hawaii to the US West Coast.
Months’ worth of rain will be delivered over a few days.
The National Weather Service (NWS), earlier Thursday, had already warned about the risk of excessive rainfall in parts of Southern California. The areas include Los Angele,s which is the second most populous city in the United States.
It was warned by the NWS that a broad plume of moisture would produce heavy rain in California on Christmas Day. At that time the said that there was a moderate risk of excessive rainfall over the southern parts of the state.
The NWS had further added that flash flood events might be possible. Some larger rivers will be affected due to many streams being flooded. The areas that were recently burned by wildfire are at risk of debris flows.
It is very saddening to see that such a devastating flood came on Christmas Day. People from all over the United States and the world have been sending their sympathies and prayers for the victims of the floods.
This is not the first time that the state of California has experienced such an extreme weather event. The state is prone to extreme weather events. It experiences wet periods,s which are followed rapidly by very dry weather.
The state has previously suffered from wildfires, drought and earthquakes.
The state of California is known for its diverse landscapes such as mountains, beaches and deserts. It has many iconic landmarks Hollywood Sign, Golden Gate Bridge. Ithas booming entertainment (Hollywood) and tech industries (Silicon Valley).
