Most or northern California will get some benefit from this “super soaker” storm:Posted on 02/02/2015 10:20:00 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
WUWT contributor Dr. Ryan Maue writes on his Twitter feed:
Can’t ask for better setup for enormous rainfall totals over NorCal & now linto Bay Area in 5+ days
Looking at the model output below, I tend to agree, if the pattern holds. It sets up Northern California for the perfect orographic lifting enhancement in the Sierra Nevada mountain range that will not only provide a bounty of liquid precipitation, but a significant boost to the well below normal California snowpack.Most or northern California will get some benefit from this “super soaker” storm:
The Quantitative Precipitation Forecasts show some parts of Northern Calfornia getting as much as 20″, along with many mountain areas getting 5″ or more.
How much will be snow? That’s anyone’s guess at this time, it depends entirely on how much air and moisture is advected into the low pressure system to collide with colder air.
We’ll know more as we get closer to the event.
Graphics courtesy of Dr. Ryan Maue and WeatherBell.com
If you can’t store it, what’s the point?
in the Sierra Nevada mountain range that will not only provide a bounty of liquid precipitation, but a significant boost to the well below normal California snowpack.
It is stored, in the snowpack
Mammoth ski trip?
Well, we do have Folsom Dam east of where I am. We could use the big drenching of rain.
“It is stored, in the snowpack”
Here in the Cascades of Washington they have had rain, but not much snow. And you are correct - we need to have the snow for good irrigation later on.
Rain?
I would love, love, love to see a whole lot of water stored in the snowpack from this storm. Right now the predictions here are for warm temperatures so any snowline will likely be 8000 to 9000 feet. It would be great to have one of the Arctic blasts push down as the pineapple express pushes east but no predictions of that currently.
It’s been a sad season on the slopes so far. I’d love to get some fresh pow!
May be doing the old snow dance on Thursday!
“If you can’t store it, what’s the point?”
There’s plenty of room in the existing reservoirs. Most of them are near empty - Shasta, Oroville are way down. I hope it rains solid for a week or two.
Hallelujah!! Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
Looks like it’s going to be north of LA/OC.
Storage in California involves the snowpack and groundwater banking:
A little bit, like I80.
I hope it swings south. My garden has been enjoying the rain.
The watershed is so steep and short in length that we're now spending vast sums to put in new flood gates to squander the flood waters by rushing them right back to the Pacific ASAP!!!
Sure snow pack is a form of storage, but it doesn't provide flood control, energy and the ability to keep both reservoirs full. Folsom is the most popular state recreational area in CA, yet people cannot keep their watercraft berthed on it's fluctuating levels without the abandoned Auburn Dam and Reservoir.
The Sacramento region's water supply already depends on seven dams and reservoirs, yet our beloved federal government and the people of CA couldn't see fit to finish the job at Auburn.
To add insult to injury and due mainly to Jane Fonda's panic inducing film called "China Syndrome," the Rancho Seco nuclear plant was shut down by a ballot measure. So here we sit in this region all broken hearted, without much needed additional hydro-electric or nuclear power. Two of the cleanest and most effecient forms of power generation on earth!!!
I was up in Tahoe a couple weeks ago. It looked more like June than January. I don’t ski, but I would have liked to have some snow to play with the grandkids in. Hope it keeps coming.
If the drought has done one good thing, it shut up the “lets breach the dams and restore the wild rivers” idiots. For now.
Pineapple Express? Those images doesn’t look nothing at all like a pineapple. =)
Auburn Damn.
There’s still an over look where we used to watch construction.
We could use a prayer for this rain, if anyone feels so inclined. We desperately need more rain here in NorCal. Thanks!!
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