Early on Saturday, forecasters warned Californians to prepare for flooding and even landslides due to “heavy to extreme rainfall” expected throughout the weekend and into next week. The National Weather Service issued a bulletin earlier this week warning of two Pacific storm systems expected to hit the West this weekend, “bringing heavy lower elevation rain, significant mountain snow, and strong winds,” as cleanup efforts continued in some of the state’s storm-ravaged regions.
According to the warning, the first system will head interior and then coastward on Saturday. There were “several slight threats of excessive rainfall,” the report said, adding that such rains might lead to “urban and small stream flooding, as well as mudslides.” “further moderate rainfall will persist through Sunday,” the bulletin said, “ahead of a second storm system approaching the coast early Monday morning.”
Over 15,000 individuals were without power early on Saturday morning, per poweroutage.us. At least 21 people have been killed by storms that have hit California since late December, according to a tally by NBC News. The lone person reported missing on Monday was 5-year-old Kyle Doan, who was swept away by the surging floodwaters near San Miguel. After a week of searching for Kyle, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office announced on Saturday that they would be ceasing their efforts due to rising water levels and terrible weather.
The government reportedly suspended its search efforts on Tuesday because to “severe weather conditions that were making it risky for first responders to continue their mission.” The sheriff’s office announced on Saturday that the decision to resume searching for Kyle “will be made on a day-by-day basis” when the weather permits.
Governor Gavin Newsom of California, along with other state and federal officials, issued an appeal for Californians to “stay vigilant” and not get complacent as recent storm systems approached. On Friday, while visiting the Santa Barbara County coastal enclave of Montecito, which had been evacuated, Newsom said, “I know how exhausted you all are.”
