California steels itself for MORE storms that have left 12 dead, more than 137,000 without power

Californians are hunkering down Monday for another round of devastating storms expected to bring flooding and heavy damage to the already embattled state. 

A series of atmospheric rivers have hit the West Coast hard over the past week, leaving 12 dead and many trapped in their homes, according to California Governor Gavin Newsom. 

As of Monday morning, more than 137,000 customers in the Golden State are out of power as wind speeds upwards of 60 miles per hour have caused trees and powerlines to fall. 

‘We expect to see the worst of it still in front of us,’ Newsom said as he asked President Joe Biden to declare an emergency for the state. Biden complied Sunday evening, granting the state access to emergency resources.

‘We’re anticipating very intense weather coming in [Monday] and Tuesday morning,’ Governor Newsom said Sunday during a press conference. 

The storms are so severe in some areas school districts canceled classes, including the Sacramento City Unified School District canceled school, which had six campuses without electricity completely, the Sacramento Bee reported. 

The National Weather Service warned of a ‘relentless parade of atmospheric rivers’ – storms that are long plumes of moisture stretching out into the Pacific and are capable of dropping staggering amounts of rain and snow. 

Two major storms are expected to drop heavy rainfall on the coast and snow in the mountains over the next couple of days.

Biden’s emergency declaration now provides state and local officials with resources and help for counties hit hardest by the storms, which include: El Dorado, Los Angeles, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Monterey, Napa, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, Stanislaus and Ventura counties. 

The Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency will also authorize equipment and resources to the state for assistance. 

Newsom in a tweet Monday thanked Biden for his ‘swift approval’ of the emergency declaration for the state. 

The governor said his office had been in constant contact with the White House and this will help the state get ahead of the incoming storms and subsequent damage. 

‘We know what’s coming and anticipating we’re better off getting ahead of it than waiting for the actual event to occur,’ Newsom said. 

‘In so many ways, I think it’s a preview of what’s to come,’ the governor continued. 

On Sunday, Gavin Newsome held a press conference in which he described the destruction caused by the ongoing storms.

‘We are in the middle of a deadly barrage of winter storms – and California is using every resource at its disposal to protect lives and limit damage,’ Newsom said. 

‘We are taking the threat from these storms seriously, and want to make sure that Californians stay vigilant as more storms head our way.’ 

Newsom in a tweet Monday thanked Biden for his ‘swift approval’ of the emergency declaration for the state. 

Since December 26, San Francisco has received more than 10 inches of rain, an unprecedented amount for the Northern California city.  

Mammoth Mountain, a popular ski area in northeast California, has seen nearly 10 feet of snow in recent weeks and is projected to see a potential 90-plus inches in the coming weeks. 

Evacuations were under way in Santa Cruz County with the San Lorenzo River at flood stage, rising 14 feet in just hours, officials said. 

Warnings and advisories have also been issued for parts of Santa Clara, Alameda, Sacramento, Sonoma, Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. 

The National Weather Service warned of a ‘relentless parade of atmospheric rivers’ – storms that are long plumes of moisture stretching out into the Pacific and are capable of dropping staggering amounts of rain and snow. 

The rain and snow expected over the next couple of days come after California has already been walloped by storms that last week knocked out power to thousands, flooded streets, and battered the coastline with high surf. 

The first of the newest, heavier storms prompted the weather service to issue a flood watch for a large swath of Northern and Central California, with 6 to 12 inches of rain expected through Wednesday in the already saturated Sacramento-area foothills.

In the Los Angeles area, stormy conditions were expected to return Monday, with the potential for up to 8 inches in foothill areas. 

High surf was expected through Tuesday, with large waves on west-facing beaches.

Some parts of the state last week saw waves cresting upwards of 35 feet while California was in the midst of the ‘bomb cyclone.’

On Thursday, Capitola Wharf, a pier located in Northern California, was split in half by the rough weather, with a portion drifting out to sea. 

In the state’s capital of Sacramento, utility workers have been out nonstop attempting to restore power and energy to homes in the area. 

Pacific Gas & Electric officials say they have dedicated 4,000 crew members dedicated to storm restoration alone.  

That number includes  their own personnel, contractors and mutual aid from Southern California cities and other states.  

‘We are just getting repeatedly pounded by storm after storm,’ said Tracy Correa Lopez, a spokeswoman with PG&E. 

‘Flooding is an issue. The number one issue right now is access to a lot of these areas,’ Correa Lopez said. 

As of Monday, more than 34 million Californians are under a flood watch, which amounts to roughly 90 percent of the state’s population.

According to CNN meteorologist Dave Hennen, high winds speeds could also put parts of central California, specifically those along the coast, in danger of a tornado.

The series of atmospheric rivers come at a time when the state is extremely vulnerable to flooding due to drought. 

While many think the rain may be a welcomed guest for the state, many areas are unable to soak up the rainfall due to damage from the drought and wildfires. 

San Francisco has already begun to flood, with Department of Emergency Management Executive Director Mary Ellen Carroll saying sinkholes and mudslides have begun. 

‘We’re seeing sinkholes on our streets – a few of them. We’re seeing mudslides – nothing significant at this point,’ Carroll said, according to CNN. 

‘But the more rain we get and the less time in between, we know we’re going to see more of those conditions.’

She also cautioned that the city’s underground communications infrastructure could become compromised.

‘As we get more inundation from the rain, we’re seeing more failure around those, what we call lifeline systems,’ she said.