In January, deadly storms submerged California communities and caused as much as $1 billion in estimated damage. The recent rainfall carried by nine atmospheric rivers — bands of moisture blowing in from the Pacific — killed almost two dozen and induced mudslides on land parched by drought and denuded by wildfire. New vegetation from the rain will eventually form fresh fire tinder.
While scientists need more time to determine whether features of the storms were linked to global warming, past research found that heavy rain from atmospheric rivers in 2017 that damaged the Oroville Dam was more intense because of climate change. The dangers of “wet-to-dry whiplash” were described just a few months ago in a state report analyzing the impacts of the climate crisis on California.
