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   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   January 19, 2023 - Flooding in California's Sacramento Valley   
      
      Flooding   
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      After weeks of a seemingly endless string of storms, skies cleared over   
      California’s Sacramento Valley on January 17, 2023, allowing the   
      Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra   
      satellite to acquire a false-color image of flooding in the region. In   
      this type of image, vegetation appears bright green, water looks dark   
      blue, and open land appears tan. Burn scars, which have been left   
      behind by previous fires, can range from deep tan to brick red. Snow   
      appears electric blue while cloud may look either white or, if it   
      contains ice crystals, be tinted electric blue.   
      
      On January 1, 2023—the last previous day the skies were clear—Terra   
      MODIS acquired a similar image on the same region. By stacking the two   
      images, with January 17 on top and January 1 below, it is easy to   
      compare the progression of flooding near Sacramento.   
      
      On January 1, floodwaters had clearly laid claim to much of the   
      Sacramento Valley, including many of the agricultural fields near the   
      Sutter Buttes. The Sutter Buttes, which look nearly circular from   
      space, rise almost 2,000 feet (610 meters) above the surrounding   
      fields, which are used to produce sunflower, winter wheat, tomato, and   
      almonds. Some fields appear brown, either due to stubble from harvested   
      crops left to lie fallow for the season or due to recently-turned soil   
      in preparation for planting. The Sacramento River, which tumbles   
      through a series of bays before reaching the Pacific Ocean, is also in   
      extreme flood. The city of Sacramento sits along the east side of this   
      river, close to where it curves westward and southeast of the Sutter   
      Buttes. Two large burn scars can be seen on the western slopes of the   
      snow-covered mountains near Lake Tahoe.   
      
      By January 17, after the passage of several more deluge-filled   
      atmospheric rivers, flooding has become even more intense. Fewer fields   
      are visible due to the inundation, and the Sacramento River has become   
      even wider. A streak of light color, most likely suspended sediment,   
      tints the river near Sacramento. Sediment also colors Suisun Bay and   
      San Pablo Bay. Snowpack has also increased in the mountains, with fresh   
      snow covering the burn scars.   
      
      According to local weather forecasts, the sunny skies won’t last for   
      long. A storm driven by the passage of a cold front is expected to   
      bring more rain to the valley, snow to the mountains, and gusty wind   
      over the entire region in the upcoming week. This isn’t the same type   
      of storm as the repetitive rounds of atmospheric rivers that have   
      battered the state, but additional rain may add to flooding. After   
      mid-week, sunny skies are expected to return to the state.   
      
      Image Facts   
      Satellite:  Terra   
      Date Acquired: 1/17/2023   
      Resolutions:  1km (263.7 KB),  500m (709.4 KB),  250m (450.8   
      KB)   
      Bands Used: 7,2,1   
      Image Credit: MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC   
      
      
      
   https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/individual.php?db_date=2023-01-19   
       
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