MSGID: 1:317/3 6419f0d3   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   March 21, 2023 - Another Atmospheric River approaches California   
      
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      Another atmospheric river was bearing down on California on March 19,   
      2023, threatening a rain-weary and waterlogged region with the   
      potential for high winds, soaking rain, and heavy mountain snow. The   
      Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s   
      Terra satellite acquired a true-color image of the long, narrow band of   
      rain-filled cloud stretching over the Pacific Ocean on that same day.   
      This storm, expected to begin on March 20, will be the third   
      atmospheric river to strike the state this month alone. At least nine   
      others soaked the state between December 2022 and January 2023.   
      
      Atmospheric rivers—vast airborne corridors of water vapor—are some of   
      the most hazardous storm types in the middle latitudes because of how   
      much precipitation they can produce. The first March atmospheric river   
      dumped 5 to 13 inches (13 to 33 centimeters) of rain over parts of   
      Monterey County on March 10-11, 2023. A second storm that struck on   
      March 14 brought peak gusts of 77 miles (124 kilometers) per hour,   
      recorded at the San Francisco airport. Another inch of rain fell on   
      Sacramento and 3 to 5 inches fell on Chico and Redding to the north. By   
      mid-March, soils in many places have become saturated, increasing the   
      risk of flooding and mudslides as fresh rains fall.   
      
      The series of atmospheric rivers also piled snow on the Sierra Nevada   
      mountains, closing roads and leaving some residents stranded. According   
      to the Central Sierra Snow Laboratory, a University of California   
      Berkeley research station located in the northern Sierra Nevada, the   
      atmospheric rivers pushed snow totals since October 1 to 55.7 feet, the   
      third highest seen at the station at Donner Pass since it opened in   
      1946.   
      
      According to the National Weather Service, Southern California could   
      see wind gusts near 75 mph (121 km/h) and gusts up to 50 mph (80.5   
      km/h) over the next day or two. They warn that heavy rain is likely to   
      lead to rapid runoff and areas of flooding across Southern California.   
      Heavy snowfall will be the primary hazard in the high mountains of   
      south/central Sierra Nevada and Southern California, with additional   
      accumulations of up to 3-4 feet (0.9-1.2 meters) in spots, with   
      potential damage to infrastructure in areas already digging out of   
      record snowpack this year.   
      
      The storm will also sweep inland, bringing strong wind, snow, and rain   
      to the Southwest, central Great Basin, and south/central Rocky   
      Mountains. Heavy rain and flash flooding is likely to affect areas as   
      far south at central Arizona.   
      
      Image Facts   
      Satellite:  Terra   
      Date Acquired: 3/19/2023   
      Resolutions:  1km (9 MB),   
      Bands Used: 1,4,3   
      Image Credit: MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC   
      
      
      
   https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/individual.php?db_date=2023-03-21   
       
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