California Hit Hard

California gets hit hard with more rain, more snow from the ninth storm in three weeks

Theninth storm called atmospheric river has hit California in a three week period. It's a series of winter storms that has punched its way through California leaving mountain driving very dangerous and the risk of flooding is high around swollen rivers and any body of water.

Very heavy snow also fell across the Sierra Nevada and the National Weather Service has discouraged any travel.

A major highway, Interstate 80, from San Francisco Bay to Lake Tahoe ski resort has reopened but a chain requirement is needed after periods of weekend closures because of the severe white outs.

The Sacramento weather office said, "If you must travel, be prepared for dangerous travel conditions, significant travel delays and road closures."

University of California Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab said Monday morning that it had 49.6 inches or 126 cm of snow.

An avalanche warning was issued for Central Sierra, which included greater Tahoe.

An onslot of atmospheric river storms dropped rain and snow on California since later December, which cut power to thousands of customers, flooding roads and prompting landslides and avalanches.

The last system was weaker than the other earlier storms, but flooding and the landslides risks are still there because the ground is saturated.

President Joe Biden made a trip out to California to see the area that has been so impacted by the storms. The White House said in a statement that the President visited first responders and the state and local officials survey recovery and assess what federal support is needed.

In San Francisco, 20.3 inches of rain fell at the city's airport since October 1st, when California begins recording the rainfall for the year.

The average amount of the water year is 19.6 inches. The San Francisco weather service said, "So we've surpassed the yearly total with 8 more months to go."

In Berkeley across the Bay, 10 homes had to be evacuated when a soaked hillside gave way sending mud onto the roads and properties. No one was hurt.

California's Governor, Gavin Newsom, has signed an executive order to further boost the state's emergency storm response to help communities that have had any kind of damage.