Well, this blog post was out of the queue, but I need to write about a weather phenomenon that I need to familiarize myself with, an Atmospheric River. This is New Year’s weekend, and California is experiencing heavy rain and flooding. My son’s backyard is flooding, and we have standing water in ours. The Vri Valley area is experiencing flooding, there is reported flooding all over California, and rescues are in progress. Meanwhile, the Sierras are experiencing heavy snowfall! We were just working diligently to conserve water due to the drought conditions in California. What is happening?
Atmospheric Rivers (ARs) are powerful weather phenomena that can bring heavy rain and flooding to global areas. For example, California is experiencing an Atmospheric River this weekend, causing severe flooding and requiring rescues in some of our populated cities.
So what is an Atmospheric River? Here are five critical facts about Atmospheric Rivers:
- Atmospheric Rivers occur when long bands of moisture from the tropics move up towards regions outside the tropics – such as California – and deliver enormous amounts of precipitation over a short period.
- Atmospheric rivers are important sources of global rainfall, providing 30-50% of total annual water resources in some parts of the world.
- Atmospheric rivers have been linked to devastating floods, like those occurring in California this week, and droughts due to their ability to carry large amounts of rain and snow.
- Atmospheric rivers can be identified by satellite imagery and measurements taken on the ground or at sea.
- Atmospheric Rivers are an essential part of the global water cycle, but they can also cause destruction if not appropriately monitored; it is necessary to take appropriate precautions when Atmospheric Rivers threaten populated regions like California.
As California continues to experience heavy rainfall and flooding from its Atmospheric River, it is essential to remember these five key facts about Atmospheric Rivers – and take necessary safety precautions – to protect life and property during extreme weather events like this.
Thanks for reading! Stay safe and dry. For more information on Atmospheric Rivers, check out the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Atmospheric River page here: https://www.atmos.washington.edu/ar/what_is_AR.html.
Thank you for reading this blog post, and if you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the Comments section below.
© 2019 I Don’t Know All The Answers, Nikki Mastro
All of my photographs and documents are Copyrighted.
Note: The main photo (from the iStock.com library) is from a previous Atmospheric River storm and shows a combination of flooding and snow in the Lake Tahoe area of California.