Berkeley, Calif. — Governor Gavin Newsom on Wednesday as another major winter storm hits California. declared a state of emergency To help the state recover from the expected damage.
“California is mobilizing to keep people safe from the effects of an impending storm,” Newsom said. We can help you respond.”
The proclamation authorizes the mobilization of the state’s National Guard and puts state operations centers at the highest level of readiness.
The storm, which is expected to unleash several inches of new precipitation along with strong winds, fueled by a confluence of bomb cyclones and atmospheric rivers, began hitting the California coastline late Wednesday morning.
The storm followed a historic rainfall event in Northern California on December 31, with San Francisco registering 5.46 inches of rainfall. With the ground now saturated and numerous rivers already in flooding stages, additional rain and winds are expected to cause disruption across much of the state, including the potential for major power outages.
In a press release, the governor’s office said, “Stock up on essentials that rely on electricity.” Have batteries and other alternative sources of power, such as mobile chargers and power banks, to meet your needs in the event of a power outage. Get flashlights for everyone in your family.Determine if your home phone will work in the event of a power outage and how long the battery will be backed up.Continued.”
Other effects of the storm, such as impassable roads, are also thought to be possible.
“We expect this to be one of the most difficult and impactful series of storms to land in California in the last five years,” said Nancy, director of the governor’s Emergency Services Agency. Ward said at a press conference Wednesday.
Ahead of heavy rain expected Wednesday through Thursday, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office issued an evacuation warning for parts of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
As the storm approached, the California Department of Forest and Fire Protection, which normally issues wildfire warnings in the state, warned residents of the danger of flooding.
The U.S. National Weather Service issues flood watchdogs to counties across the state, including cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Sacramento.
The storm, which hit Wednesday through Thursday, is the state’s most immediate threat, but California is forecast to continue to see heavy rain from ongoing atmospheric rivers for nine of the next 10 days.
Newsom’s office said in a press release that “remaining flooding effects could continue into the weekend, and further storms could continue into next week.”