After extreme winter weather wreaks havoc, US President Joe Biden announces state of emergency in California

US President Joe Biden has proclaimed a state of emergency in California after it witnessed extreme winter weather.

On Sunday, California witnessed thunderstorms, snow and strong winds. The National Weather Service has also issued a warning about a "relentless procession of atmospheric rivers"—storms that produce protracted plumes of moisture that extend into the Pacific.

A bomb cyclone, which is a hurricane-force low-pressure system, also contributed to the extreme weather.

The governor, Gavin Newsom, reported that in the previous 10 days, the severe weather had claimed the lives of 12 individuals.
According to the information from PowerOutage.us, more than 120,000 residences in California were left without power early on Monday.

Flash floods, rock slides and downed trees caused interruptions in road travel. This comes after the area witnessed rains last week.
According to the White House, Biden's proclamation gives the Federal Emergency Management Agency permission to coordinate all disaster relief activities and mobilize emergency resources.



An area already drenched by days of rain is at risk of more flooding and mudslides due to the most recent erratic weather.
Governor Newsom encouraged residents to stay indoors during this week's storms, saying they might be considerably more harmful.

According to the Sacramento office of the National Weather Service, widespread power outages, toppled trees and poor driving conditions may be likely.

Around 13,000 inhabitants of Sonoma County, which is prone to flooding and is located north of San Francisco, were under evacuation alerts as the Russian River was predicted to overflow its banks in the next few days.
Wilton, a community of about 6,000 people, is in the vicinity, and Sacramento County has issued evacuation orders due to impending floods. Before the roads became impassable, the county urged residents to depart.

FAQs

1. What is a ‘bomb cyclone?’
   A storm that is rapidly intensifying is referred to as a "bomb cyclone." When the storm's air pressure falls by 24 millibars (the unit used to measure atmospheric pressure) in a 24-hour period, a meteorological event occurs.
2. Where will the bomb cyclone effect?
   The National Weather Service predicts that the bomb cyclone will bring 2 to 4 inches of rain to many areas of Southern California and significant snow to the mountains.