Flood Waters Ravage Parts of Northern and Central California: Impact Footprints Available

Flood Waters Ravage Parts of Northern and Central California: Impact Footprints Available

 In Event News

Massive flooding caused extensive damage to roads and properties in northern and central California.  The torrential rains caused several power outages, in addition to significant road and bridge collapses. 

One of the hardest-hit regions was Soquel in Santa Cruz County, where 700 residents were trapped due to heavy flooding and the collapse of the only road that connected their village to the rest of the county. The area received over 6.5 inches of rainfall, while other parts of Santa Cruz, San Mateo, and Sonoma counties also experienced significant rainfall, ranging from 5 to 13.63 inches.  

Top wind gusts of 97 mph were measured at Santa Clara County’s Loma Prieta, 93 mph at Alameda County’s Mines Tower, and 74 mph at San Francisco Airport. Across the state, more than 169,000 homes and businesses throughout the state were without power. 

The deluge will keep hitting Southern California on Wednesday before moving east, threatening 25 million people in the central US.

Actionable Insights on EigenPrism® 

To make timely decisions, EigenPrism users can assess the impact of the event using the following quick links:  

  • NA 5-day Flood Potential as of 2023-03-15 – v3 | v4 
  • WPC 3-Day Excessive Rainfall Outlook valid from 2023-03-08 to 2023-03-15 – v3 | v4 

Subscribers of ICEYE can use these real-time footprints on EigenPrism®, to quickly assess the impact of flooding in California: 

  • West California – Flood Inundation Footprints from ICEYE as of 2023-03-15 – v3 | v4 
  • Southeast California Flood Inundation Footprints from ICEYE as of 2023-03-15 – v3 | v4 
  • West California – Flood Extent Footprints from ICEYE as of 2023-03-15 – v3 | v4 
  • Southeast California Flood Extent Footprints from ICEYE as of 2023-03-15 – v3 | v4 

March 9, 2023 | Imminent Flood Threat in California as Powerful Storm System Approaches

The possibility of flooding in California is becoming more serious as the week progresses. According to the Weather Prediction Center, there is now a moderate risk of excessive rainfall on Thursday and Friday, at Level 3 out of 4 (moderate risk).  Due to a Category 4, atmospheric river phenomenon, this storm is expected to be stronger than previous ones. It will result in significant rain on top of existing heavy snowpacks.  

From Thursday night until Saturday night, a more powerful, moisture-rich, and warmer storm system will affect the entire Central California region. There is a risk of excessive rainfall below 8,000 feet, as well as rapid snow melting between 2,000 and 5,000 feet, which could lead to more flooding, as per the NWS in Hanford. The Big Sur Area and Monterey County in California are expected to be the most affected. 

Actionable Insights on EigenPrism 

To make timely decisions about this event, EigenPrism® users can access the following quick links:  

  • NA 5-day Flood Potential as of 2023-03-08 – v3 | v4 
  • WPC 3-Day Excessive Rainfall Outlook valid from 2023-03-08 to 2023-03-11 – v3 | v4 
  • US Significant River Flood 5-day Outlook as of 2023-03-09 – v3 | v4 

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