Storm-battered California is braced for another deluge tonight as major hubs experienced 11 months worth of rain in just 11 days. Evacuation warnings remain in place after entire communities – such as celebrity hotspot Montecito – were forced to flee their homes in freak weather which left 18 dead. This figure is likely to rise, according to officials, who urge the public to be prepared for more rainfall over the weekend.
Forecasters say 24 trillion gallons of rainfall fell over the Golden State in the last three weeks, while San Francsico measured more rain in the first 11 days of January- 5.89 inches – than during the first 11 months of 2022 (3.76 inches).
Of the next wave of downpours, commencing tonight and lasting until Tuesday, the National Weather Service said: “The rain will be spread out over this time period, but with occasional moderate to heavy rain possible.”
Rainfall is expected to range from a half-inch to 1.5 inches in the coastal and valley areas, said the NWS, while up to six feet of snow is predicted in the Sierra Nevada mountains.
Isolated thunderstorms are expected to cover the southland on Monday and Tuesday.
“Large portions of Central California received over half their annual normal precipitation in the past 16 days with the sequence of atmospheric rivers since December 26,” the NWS added.
Images show cars and houses submerge in the Bay Area of San Francisco after the deluge struck, with the city experiencing its wettest January since 1862.
In Montecito, where the likes of Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres live, an evacuated was ordered due to flooding and a risk of mudslides.
Ms DeGeneres warned on Twitter: “Montecito is under mandatory evacuation. We are on higher ground so they asked us to shelter in place. Please stay safe everyone.”
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The NWS said in its forecast that heavy rain and flooding will return to the the northern parts of California on Saturday and into early Sunday morning.
“A Flood Watch has been issued for portions of #NorCal for Saturday – early Sunday,” they said.
More than half of California’s 58 counties were declared disaster areas and repairing the damage may cost more than $1billion, Brian Ferguson, spokesperson for the state Office of Emergency Services told the Associated Press.
