California faces double whammy of bomb cyclone, ‘Pineapple Express’ for ‘brutal’ storm threat

Fox Weather ^ | 1.3.2023 | Scott Sistek

[libh8er]

Just three days after a record-breaking storm brought significant rain, widespread flooding and significant mountain snow to much of California, another, perhaps even more powerful double whammy of an atmospheric river and bomb cyclone is targeting the region this week that could become one of the more impactful storms to strike the state in years. Mandatory evacuation orders have even been issued ahead of the storm for neighborhoods with a high risk of flooding.

In this case, the developing storm will tap into abundant tropical moisture available in the Pacific Ocean, creating a reasonably strong "atmospheric river" that will carry copious amounts of moisture from Hawaii to California.

Basically, an (atmospheric river) is a river in the sky of water vapor, and when it hits the mountains, (the moisture) is forced up over the mountains," Marty Ralph, Director of the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes, told FOX Weather. "That upward motion causes clouds and precipitation to form, and the faster the flow of air and water vapor is hitting the mountains, the faster the rain is falling, so you get more and more rain with the stronger ARs hitting the mountains."

This specific type of atmospheric river, known as the "Pineapple Express," in a nod to the storm's fuel source due to its Hawaiian origins, is set to bring significant moisture to California. Think of this as a narrow pipeline of moisture that originates in the tropics.

Flood Watches span much of the state, from near the Oregon/California border to just north of the Los Angeles area.

[Enterprise]

"Did you know that oleanders are poisonous?"

Oh NOW you tell me!

[ridesthemiles]

I keep thinking:

GOD is very tired of all the attacks on HIS gifts to us in the form or fossil fuels-—animals we can eat-—minefals we can use to our benefit.

I think HE has had enough:

HOLD MUH BEER:

WATCH THIS !!!!!!!

And here comes WINTER

[ridesthemiles]

Calif is removing dams, anyway.

BIG MISTAKE

[drwoof]

Correct. Everything just HAS to be ‘Extreme!!!’ these days... Back in the way olden days, we all observed what happened when major storms came through. We knew what would flood, where the landslides would likely be, and just took care of things. Now, people are led to believe this is all freakish, never-before-seen, kinda stuff.

[Veto!]

Thanks. Sent her a text.

[ckilmer]

Is it fair to say that California’s reservoirs are not in as bad of shape as lake Meade and lake powell along the colorado. My understanding is that it would take four or five very wet years to refill those reservoirs.

Would you say that unlike powell and meade—shasta and oroville could refill with just a month or two of rains as are projected currently through the jan 10

[Polyxene]

I was being sarcastic.

[j.havenfarm]

I would agree with that. Powell and Meade together have capacity of 56M acre feet, whereas Shasta and Oroville only total 8M. The watershed of the former is vastly larger, but also largely arid. The short answer is that I think even average rain and snow through the end of the season after the upcoming series could very well fill Oroville in particular, but perhaps Shasta as well

[doorgunner69]

“I was being sarcastic.”

Gotcha. As often as that is mentioned, some really do believe it

The level of ignorance often shown on FR about things easily looked up...............

[Enterprise]

Still smiling here as a post about the weather took a turn down music memory lane when dwfgator posted a reference to Annandale and frankballenger asked what it meant. I knew I had heard the song, but I still needed to search to be sure what song it was and who sang it. Turns out, as the posters know, it was the group Steely Dan, and the song was about Donald Fagen’s college experience about being busted for pot by G. Gordon Liddy. When the song came out I didn’t know what the song was about, and even if I had read the lyrics, I still wouldn’t have known. The song references William and Mary (the college), oleanders, Guadalajara, a girl being cruel, and Annandale. And I don’t know still, what the reference to “35 sweet good byes” and “oleanders” is about. Some if the music industry have been fortunate because they have been able to reach vast audiences to tell of unpleasant experiences. Hell, if I had that chance, I would be singing for years. HA!