Warnings and evacuation orders in parts of the US state of California as the storm approaches the coast

Weather of Arabia - Hundreds of residents received warnings and evacuation orders in parts of northern California with the arrival of a powerful storm off the coast of the state, while the California governor declared a state of emergency due to the storm, the second to hit the state within a week.

Areas hit by wildfires in the past were among the first places whose residents were asked to evacuate due to fears of flooding and landslides, amid fears of meteorologists of the formation of a "bomb cyclone", a type of dangerous "bomb" storm, which intensifies quickly and is more Common along the east coast of the United States and Canada.

Also read: The bomb hurricane... A severe cold storm hits the United States

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a flood warning and high winds for the entire Bay Area in northern California, saying gusts are expected to knock down trees and cause power outages.

It warned of flooding the North Fork Dam because it was already damaged, and the Meteorological Service urged people in low-lying areas near the dam to "move to higher ground immediately," and said that "damage will include widespread flooding, washing away of roads, collapsing hillsides, and downed trees." , widespread power outages, and worst of all, the potential loss of human life."

An evacuation order was issued for residents in Santa Cruz County, south of San Francisco, due to the "high probability" that some neighborhoods would become inaccessible due to flooding.

(Distributing sandbags to residents in San Francisco to use as a flood buffer)

To the south, in Santa Barbara County, officials also ordered residents who live near areas previously affected by wildfires to leave the area, because the nature of the burning area is more at risk of flooding.

The region is exposed to additional heavy rains due to its impact on the "atmospheric river" phenomenon (a long, narrow stream of warm air that brings moisture from the tropics), after the land has already become saturated with rainwater, just one year after California recorded one of its driest years on record. On Saturday, San Francisco saw its second-highest daily rainfall in more than 170 years.

Atmospheric rivers carry huge amounts of water

Atmospheric rivers or rivulets are a normal part of the West Coast weather pattern, and often come after months of drought in warm weather, bringing much-needed rain and snow. Precipitation can be intense, as it can carry One atmospheric river has more water than the Mississippi at its mouth," as reported by NPR.

For US states along the West Coast, atmospheric rivers are "actually responsible for the vast majority of precipitation during the cold season.

More heavy rain threatens California

Rivers along the coast are expected to experience widespread flooding due to high tides. The storm is expected to cause up to (15 cm) of rain in the coastal areas, and the accompanying wind speed may reach (128 km/h) in the coastal hills and mountains.

More than 105 million people across the United States are currently at risk of severe weather, according to the NWS.

To the east, about 30 million people are facing major storms that have already spawned tornadoes in several states.