The Pacific Coast is once again grappling with extreme weather as a second bomb cyclone, coupled with an atmospheric river, impacts the region, following a destructive storm earlier this week that left one person dead and hundreds of thousands without power.
As of Friday morning, significant power outages persist with approximately 180,000 residents in Washington and over 15,000 in California still without electricity, according to data from poweroutage.us. The devastation from Tuesday’s storm has been profound, prompting Puget Sound Energy (PSE), Washington’s largest utility provider, to issue a public statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, acknowledging the severe impact and likening the storm’s intensity to that of a hurricane.
In a detailed update, PSE informed its customers of efforts to restore power, with the goal to have the majority of affected areas back online by Saturday noon. Andrew Padula, a spokesperson for PSE, noted significant progress in restoring transmission lines and emphasized ongoing efforts to bring power back to regions in King, Whatcom, Skagit, Island, and Kitsap Counties by Friday evening.
The current storm, while not as intense as the previous one, continues to pose serious threats. Dave Houk, a senior meteorologist at AccuWeather, highlighted that the strongest winds are expected along the coasts of Washington and northern Oregon. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued warnings for life-threatening flooding, particularly in Northern California, with several inches of rain anticipated along the coast and in the northern Sierra Nevada.
Accumulative rainfall from Northern California to southwestern Oregon could reach 8-12 inches, with some areas potentially receiving up to 20 inches, intensifying the risk of flash flooding, mudslides, landslides, and significant erosion. The mountainous regions are also bracing for heavy snowfall, with estimates of 1-3 feet of snow accumulation.
These ongoing severe conditions are disrupting major metropolitan areas along the coast. Cities like San Francisco and Sacramento are experiencing slowed commutes, while Santa Rosa could see up to 18 inches of rain by Friday morning. Moreover, another storm system is forecasted for the weekend, adding to the region’s woes.
PSE is already preparing for the next storm, with Padula mentioning that active wind gusts are expected and could cause additional power outages. The forecast for the coming days suggests that the storm pattern will shift southward along the West Coast, potentially bringing rain and snow into central and Southern California, the Great Basin, and the central Rocky Mountains.
The series of storms is especially concerning for Thanksgiving travelers, with the NWS maintaining a moderate risk of flash flooding in the northern Sierra below 5,000 feet. Travelers and residents are advised to stay vigilant as the conditions are expected to remain hazardous with potential rock slides, debris flows, strong coastal winds, and further mountain snow.
Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham from AccuWeather forecasts that by mid to late next week, the weather across the western United States should turn drier with temperatures moderating to near or above average, providing some respite from the relentless storm activity.
