Severe California Weather
Storms that many are claiming to be the result of El Nino weather patterns have caused an unexpected amount of damage in southern California, and now the severe weather is moving into Arizona. The southern section of California has been hit with a barrage of severe weather systems over the past three days, leading to flash flooding, a large amount of wind damage, and, the constant problem in California, the mudslide.
While southern California (the area generally considered to https://experience.tripster.ru/experience/Izhevsk/sights/ be between the border with Mexico and San Francisco) was the hardest hit, all areas of California had issues resulting from the weather. More than 30,000 people in Northern California experienced intermittent power failures and mudslides.
In southern California, the barrage of storms caused severe flooding in many different communities, power loss, and evacuations due to already occuring and potential mudslides. The general window for a mudslide to occur is roughly 72 hours after the rainfall has ceased for good. Scottsdale, Ariz., saw many of the same storms that hit southern California, and had some of the same problems. Residents experienced severe thunderstorms, flash flooding, and 50 mph winds.
Acting California Governor Jerry Brown declared 5 counties, Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange, Siskiyou, and San Francisco counties, in a state of emergency. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the rest of his staff is currently in Washington D.C. trying to get federal aid to help the recession hit state.
These unusual string of powerful winter storms is being blamed squarely on El Nino, the Pacific Ocean water temperature event that allows for the creation of most powerful storms. The equatorial waters of the Pacific Ocean rise during times of El Nino, making the conditions perfect for strong storm development. The water temperature naturally raises the air temperature, making storms even more likely. On the opposite spectrum, La Nina is a cooling of the ocean temperatures, creating less favorable storm conditions.
This El Nino is currently being blamed for a dramatic change in the winter climate across North America and for the increased threat of sever weather activity across the west coast. Due to the jet stream, the general wind flow pattern around the globe, the El Nino directs North America more than any other continent.
