California braces for ferocious storm

Doyle Rice, USA TODAY 10:22 a.m. EST December 10, 2014


(Photo: WeatherAg.com)

A ferocious storm is forecast to batter California with drenching rain, heavy snow, pounding surf and howling winds through Friday.

The National Weather Service said the storm is "expected to be one of the strongest storms in terms of wind and rain intensity" since ones in October 2009 and January 2008.

An atmospheric river — known as the "Pineapple Express" — will deliver a steady stream of moisture directly from Hawaii to the West Coast starting Wednesday. Meteorologists use the term to describe a long, narrow plume that pipes moisture from the tropics into the USA.

The Pineapple Express brings rain and snow to the West Coast.(Photo: USA TODAY)

An average of 3-6 inches of rain is possible in some parts of northern California, AccuWeather predicts. That includes much of the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento. Some spots could see as much as nine inches.

The rain could overwhelm waterways and roadway drainage systems, possibly leading to flash flooding.

In the Sacramento area, the strong winds expected with the storm — with gusts as high as 60 mph — could take down outdoor holiday decorations.

"I'm not putting any of it up until after the storm because even though it's pretty durable, it will just blow over," Sacramento resident Tim Adams said.

Experts are advising people take down their holiday lights, especially inflatable decorations, if they are not anchored properly.

Mark Ghilarducci, the director of the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, issued a warning that the storm will present a risk of flash flooding and debris slides particularly in areas that saw wildfires earlier this year in northern and southern California.

"Burned areas are especially at risk for debris slides. Even regions that don't experience regular seasonal flooding could see flash flooding during this intense storm system," he said in a statement.

More rain than what this storm will deliver is needed to end the region's drought. Still, this rainfall will be a major step in the right direction, AccuWeather meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said.

Runoff from the storm will cause water levels to surge rapidly in streams, eventually emptying into lakes and reservoirs.

Snow totals could soar to four feet in the Sierra. A blizzard warning has been posted for portions of the northern Sierra, where winds could rage to 80 mph with heavy, swirling snow likely. A winter storm warning is also in effect for the southern Sierra.

The weather service warns travel will be "extremely dangerous" due to the blizzard conditions: "Do not travel. If you must travel, have a winter survival kit with you. If you get stranded ... stay with your vehicle."

The storm is expected to dump enough snow on California's mountains that the state's snowpack — currently only 35% of average for this time of year — could be at 75% or higher by this weekend.

Oregon and Washington will be the first to see the storm's effects on Wednesday, with flooding and landslides are possible in western Washington state.

Contributing: The Associated Press; KXTV-TV, Sacramento; David Castellon, The Visalia Times-Delta

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