California storm brings flooding, breached levees and evacuations; more rain on the way

An atmospheric river battering California has prompted evacuations, a Presidential Emergency Declaration and an increasingly dire warning that more heavy rain is coming for portions of the state.

The central part of California was especially hammered by flooding: Roads dramatically flooded around Kern County and National Guard members encountered floodwaters as they deployed to help first responders in Santa Cruz County. 

Forecasters' concerns are primarily concentrated away from the state's major population centers. On Saturday afternoon, Los Angeles and San Diego were free of weather watches, warnings and advisories; the San Francisco Bay Area was under an expansive flood watch.

Meanwhile, forecasters said a winter storm could dump a foot of snow or more on northeast North Dakota, part of a storm impacting parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Michigan this weekend.

California storm impacts: Flooded roads, evacuations, levees breached

More than 9,000 California residents were under evacuation orders Friday. First responders rescued dozens of people Saturday in a Northern California agricultural community after the Pajaro River's levee was breached. In the Central Valley's Tulare County, another levee breach prompted evacuations on Friday.

Monterey County Board of Supervisors Chair Luis Alejo said in a tweet that it would take months for residents to repair the damage to their homes from flooding in Parajo, a largely Latino unincorporated Monterey Bay community.

"We need all the help we can get from our state and federal leaders to assist our families through this devastating hardship!" Alejo said.

And in an unusual move, officials opened spillways at Lake Oroville for the first time since April 2019 because one of the most important reservoirs in the state had too much water. State water managers have been grappling with the best way to use recent storms to help emerge from a severe drought.

California weekend forecast

An atmospheric river blasting California will continue to dump rain and heavy snow on much of the state Saturday.

The storm, known as a “Pineapple Express” because it is fed by moisture stretching over the Pacific to Hawaii, has caused particular concern because California's mountains have built up a huge, expansive snowpack after multiple other atmospheric rivers hit the state this winter. It's the state's 10th atmospheric river of the season.

The snowpack at high elevations is so deep it should be able absorb the rain, forecasters said. But lower elevations could face a troubling combination of snow melt and precipitation at the same time.

Central California remained at risk of more strong and severe isolated storms Saturday afternoon into the evening, the National Weather Service said, and the Central Valley could see "hail, strong winds and perhaps a brief tornado."

Rain at lower elevations and snow in the mountains in Northern and Central California were expected at slightly lower intensity than in recent days.

Atmospheric river:The weather phenomenon extends thousands of miles from the tropics to the western U.S

Another storm headed for California

Some of the same areas hit in recent days with snow, heavy rainfall and flooding will see more of the same from the next storm, the weather service said.

The beginning of the week will bring "considerable flooding impacts" along the Central California Coast, San Joaquin Valley, Sacramento Valley and southern Sierra Nevada foothills. The Bay Area should brace for damaging winds beginning Monday night.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, more heavy rain and melting snow may bring widespread flooding before another round of snow "will further compound snow load impacts and issues," according to the weather service.

All the precipitation in California does carry some good news for the state.

About 26 percent of the state is now considered drought-free, up from just 16 percent on Feb. 28, Bob Larson — senior meteorologist with AccuWeather — said, adding that new figure doesn't even include the two atmospheric rivers impacting the state Saturday and next week. 

"It's not ending the drought but (it's) absolutely helping," he said. "Although it's causing all kinds of problems short term, the big picture long term is it's a help."

A weird winter winds down:New data details record warmth, strange snow patterns

Winter storm map

East/Northeast

Like California, the eastern and northeastern part of the U.S. will continue seeing winter storm weather on Saturday before a tranquil Sunday, followed quickly by another storm.

A strip of the region between Buffalo and Binghamton, New York can expect 6-12 inches of snow while New York City may get 1 to 3 inches. 

The farther east the storm moves, the "less of a big deal it becomes," Larson said. 

Western Massachusetts may get between 2 and 4 inches of snow while Boston seems like it will be spared from any major precipitation this weekend. 

Come Monday, that'll change with a nor'easter. 

"It won't be a prolonged lull," Larson said. "But all of New England should be dry and tranquil in between for Sunday."

The South

Strong to severe thunderstorms are expected in eastern Oklahoma and most of Arkansas on Saturday before the threat shifts southeast to the southern half of Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia on Sunday. 

US weather watches and warnings

National weather radar

Contributing: The Associated Press