Heavy rain and landslides force road closures in California and more rain is on the way
KMAX, KOVR, CNN
By Hanna Park and Robert Shackelford, CNN
(CNN) — An atmospheric river brought heavy rain, serious mountain snow and strong winds to California that flooded roads and rivers and triggered landslides – and more rain is on the way.
The first storm, which impacted a large swath of the state, including Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento, is expected to taper off by midday Wednesday.
Northern California bore the brunt of the impacts, with reports of landslides and flooding in urban and low-lying areas.
Rain coated Southern California’s Los Angeles County through Wednesday morning, maintaining the risk for debris flows and mudslides in areas still recovering from the devastating recent wildfires. Another atmospheric river-fueled storm with up to an inch of rain is set to arrive Thursday and could renew those threats, but the rain would be largely beneficial for the parched landscape to reduce the fire threat.
The heaviest rainfall is forecast between midday Thursday and early Friday morning.
Here are the latest impacts:
House swept into Russian River amid relentless storms
Northern California bore the brunt of the storm Tuesday when a rain-saturated hillside in Forestville gave way, sending a house sliding into the Russian River near the Forest Hills Bridge, according to CNN affiliate KGO. The collapse was caused by heavy downpours and unstable soil.
California Highway Patrol officers arrived at the scene around 12:30 p.m. to find land and trees sliding into the river, with the home already gone, KGO reported.
“As we all know, the Russian River is a beautiful place, especially during the summer,” Sgt. Juan Valencia of the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office told the outlet. “But when we get these heavy rains, it’s very unpredictable.”
Authorities confirmed the home dragged into the Russian River had been unoccupied at the time of the collapse, KGO reported.
Heavy rainfall and flooding
The storm has unleashed staggering rainfall totals, with Palmetto, some 17 miles east of Chico, recording 22.8 inches since Friday and areas like Sweetbriar and Brush Creek, 50 miles north of Redding, nearing or exceeding 20 inches.
Redding’s 4.33 inches of rain on Sunday was its wettest February day on record, surpassing a century-old record set in 1914. San Francisco also broke a daily rainfall record Tuesday with 2.53 inches, eclipsing a record for the day set in 1887.
The Russian River in Guerneville hit moderate flood stage early Wednesday, threatening homes, businesses and resorts in low-lying areas. Meanwhile, the Napa River, which had been rising rapidly Tuesday, peaked just over 24 feet before flood warnings were canceled.
Officials warn high water levels could persist as streams and creeks continue draining into major rivers, keeping many areas at risk.
Landslides and road closures add to chaos
The relentless rain has triggered landslides across California, forcing partial and full closures of key roadways. While crews work to assess damage and clear debris, some closures remain indefinite.
California State Route 70 is among the most severely impacted, as a landslide near Quincy has closed indefinitely the highway between Jarbo Gap and the Greenville Wye, two mountain towns east of Chico and the Butte Valley.
North of Greenville, California State Route 89 is operating under one-way traffic control due to landslide debris, while crews work to stabilize the area.
In Stockton, flooding temporarily shut down the southbound lanes of California State Route 99 between Turner and Victor Road. Although the highway has since reopened, officials continue to monitor conditions closely.
Heavy snowfall paralyzes mountain travel
The Sierra Nevada has been buried under heavy snowfall, with accumulations exceeding a foot on Tuesday. Winds gusting up to 95 mph at the peaks created whiteout conditions, making travel treacherous or impossible.
The storm has also brought significant snowfall to other parts of the West, including Idaho and Montana, where some areas have reported totals of 1 to 3 feet since the weekend. Winter weather alerts remain active across the region, with more snow expected through Wednesday.
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