A shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M5.5 hit Lake Almanor, Northern California at 23:19 UTC on May 11, 2023. The quake was followed by a series of aftershocks, including M5.2 at 10:18 UTC on May 12.
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced the first full water supply allocation since 2006, benefiting 27 million residents across California after a record winter.
After three months of heavy rain and record snow, California is now facing the risk of floods due to melting snowpacks, as temperatures rise in the Central Valley and Sierra Nevada regions.
Once the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River, Tulare Lake in California’s San Joaquin Valley has reemerged due to heavy rains and snow in the first three months of 2023.
17 atmospheric rivers and several non-atmospheric-river storms since December 2022 pushed California’s snowpack to its largest level in recorded history, surpassing the previous record set in 1982-1983. In addition, the state’s drought conditions have improved significantly since the start of the water year, with severe to exceptional drought conditions now covering only 6.99% of the area, down from 93% just one year ago.
The water level in Lake Shasta, California’s largest reservoir, has risen significantly this month, providing relief to local residents who rely on the water source.
An EF-1 tornado hit the city of Montebello near Los Angeles, southern California on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, ripping roofs off buildings, throwing cars around, and injuring 1 person. This is the strongest tornado to impact the Los Angeles Metro area since March 1983, the National Weather Service (NWS) said. It is also the second tornado to hit California within 24 hours.
Southern California faces a barrage of extreme weather as record-breaking rainfall, powerful wind gusts, and widespread power outages impact the region. At least 5 people lost their lives. While the torrential downpour provides relief from the long-term drought, it brings additional challenges, including flooding, flight cancellations, and complications for communities in the mountains still recovering from recent snowstorms.
A strong storm will move ashore across California today accompanied by strong winds, heavy rain and heavy snow for the higher terrain. Flooding will be of great concern for Southern California into portions of Arizona through Wednesday, March 22, 2023.
This winter season in California has been one for the books, with snowpack statewide doubling the normal levels and much above what’s typical by April 1st, historically the deepest snow depth of the season. Despite widespread flooding and mandatory evacuations around rivers and creeks, the southern Sierra region, particularly Soda Springs, has seen an impressive amount of snowfall, marking the second snowiest winter on record with over 17 m (56 feet) of snow. While still shy of the record set during the 1951-52 season, with more snow predicted, it’s expected to come close in the next couple of weeks.
