This week, a major storm hit the Pacific Northwest and Northern California, causing widespread damage, power outages that has affected hundreds of thousands, and unfortunately, a fatal incident. This bomb cyclone is primarily driven by a strong atmospheric river, which has resulted in forecasts of heavy rain, strong winds, and snowfall across the region.
On Wednesday morning, nearly 550,000 customers in Washington State lost power because of extremely strong winds, some reaching hurricane-force, according to PowerOutage.us. The National Weather Service reported wind gusts of up to 101 mph offshore and 77 mph inland.
CNN reported that in Lynnwood, the storm had caused the death of a middle-aged woman when a tree fell on a homeless camp. In light of the dangerous conditions brought about by the bomb cyclone, the National Weather Service has advised residents to avoid traveling, warning that the hazardous weather could affect other nearby states as well.
Northern California is bracing for significant weather this week also, especially in the North Bay area, where forecasters predict rainfall could total as much as 12 inches. As a result, a Flood Watch has been issued for Marin, Napa, and Sonoma counties until Saturday morning. In response to the strong winds that accompany the storm, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) crews are being dispatched to prepare for possible power outages. According to CBS News, PG&E spokesman Paul Moreno explained, “With the high winds, we can expect tree branches to break off and contact power lines or tree lines to fall into power lines and cause power outages.”
Furthermore, the combination of the bomb cyclone and atmospheric river has created conditions ripe for heavy rainfall and snowfall in higher elevations. The NWS cautioned travelers about near-blizzard conditions expected in the Washington Cascades, while parts of Northern California faced increased flooding risks. Reports suggest a possible pause in the storm on Thursday, followed by another surge of heavy rain anticipated on Friday.
In addition to localized flooding in Northern California, the storm’s impact is expected to ripple across the central and northern Plains. Heavy snowfall may create conditions similar to a blizzard in these regions. The NWS has issued winter weather alerts for the eastern parts of the United States, predicting snow accumulation in the higher elevations of the central Appalachians and Northeast.
