A soaking storm that had already knocked out power for thousands and delayed hundreds of flights in the Pacific Northwest was back for another round Sunday, threatening residents with dangerous flooding.
Severe thunderstorms would lash Northern and Central California with up to 3 inches of rain through Monday morning, and accompanying winds could produce small tornadoes in the region, according to the National Weather Service. The storm system — dubbed the "Pineapple Express" — already caused severe flooding and some mudslides in Washington state and Northern California Friday, and the second downpour could do the same since the ground is heavily saturated, Weather.com warned.
"More landslides, debris flows, sharp rises on streams and rivers and urban flooding," are possible Sunday and Monday, according to Weather.com.
The thunderstorms also threatened to knock out power in California's Bay Area, where 90,000 people had just gotten electric back on Sunday morning, according to The Associated Press.
Unfortunately, however, meteorologists say the back-to-back rain events won't be enough to alleviate what the National Weather Service says are "exceptional drought conditions" in 40 percent of California.
IN-DEPTH
- More Rain for Soaked West Coast, Snow Bears Down on East
- Pineapple Express Lashes California With Rain and Floods
- Not Enough: Heavy Storm Won't Alleviate California's Drought
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— Elisha Fieldstadt