Rain and snow dances turn fruitful for California while Zelia targets Australia

Eyes are on California as much-needed rain and snow targets the state Thursday. It may end up too much at once in parts of the region, especially for Southern California in the aftermath of recent blazes. Meanwhile, there’s a new round of bad weather targeting Australia as severe tropical cyclone Zelia approaches the country’s northwest coast.

Weather Watch

Southern California soaking. Flooding risk peaks today around Los Angeles as waves of heavy rains associated with an atmospheric river move inland. The highest flood potential runs from near Santa Barbara southeastward through the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains. While the focus is on January burn scars, upwards of 4 to 6 inches of rain could cause serious flooding wherever it occurs.

Zelia forecast to reach Category 5 near Australia. Following rapid intensification from a tropical storm to a 140-mph hurricane equivalent cyclone, Zelia has recently undergone an eyewall replacement cycle, leaving it briefly steady-state ahead of additional strengthening. It is forecast to peak around Category 5 intensity before moving into largely rural northwest Australia as a 155-mph sustained storm on Saturday.

Storm train rumbles onward. The next storm focuses east of the Rockies for the weekend. Reborn from ongoing western U.S. activity, this one looks warmer than recent events. Severe weather may be notable in the South and flooding seems likely in the Ohio and Tennesse valley region. It could set the stage for another eastern U.S. snow threat next week.

Lightning links

A new one for me… have you ever seen a “sun candle?”

Avalanche buries Idaho highway in up to 40 feet of snow.

Thirsty Thursday

The storm hitting California is good news on multiple levels. Sure, there are concerns about landslides in the burn scars but the fact that there are burn scars from major fires in January tells you the wet weather is truly needed.

It’s not just rain that is necessary, either. The Sierra Nevada is in a big snowfall deficit this winter. Most of the storms with meaningful snow have targeted northern California and northward, leaving central and southern parts of the state parched.

Going in, some areas of the central Sierra were 8 to 10 feet below average to date. A big chunk of that deficit may be wiped out ahead. Widespread snowfall totals of 4 to 6 feet are expected above 6,000 feet in elevation over the next few days.

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Weekday morning newsletter by a journalist/forecaster that connects weather and climate change dots while occasionally stirring the pot.

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