US West Coast battered as storms hit

LOS ANGELES: The US West Coast started to experience heavy rainfall Thursday as the first of two powerful storms moved in, part of a “Pineapple Express” weather pattern that was washing out roads and sparking flood warnings.

The atmospheric river dumped heavy rains and snow over a wide portion of the region, ferrying tropical moisture from the ocean near Hawaii — a weather phenomenon named after the tropical fruit that grows on the islands. When it hits land in the western United States and Canada, it can cause heavy rains and snow.

Northern California was walloped on Wednesday, leaving streets in San Francisco flooded after as much as an inch (2.5 centimeters) of rain fell in an hour.

By Thursday morning, it was Southern California’s turn, with Los Angeles and surrounding areas getting hit.

Footage showed major roads in the city completely inundated, while a miles-long stretch of the picturesque Pacific Coast Highway was shut.

Local television showed cars submerged at one intersection where the city’s drains had become overwhelmed.

Mountains in Southern California were expected to get up to 18 inches of snow by the end of Thursday, with the Sierra Nevada range also expected to be blanketed.

Forecasters were warning that Thursday’s deluge was just the first course, with even more extreme weather expected over the coming days.

The National Weather Service (NWS) said “the largest storm of the season” would likely begin on Sunday.

“While the exact timing, rates and amounts are still uncertain, it is very likely that this will be a serious two- to three-day storm system,” the NWS said.

“Early estimates call for widespread rain amounts of two to four inches for lower elevations and likely twice those amounts in the south facing mountains.”

While wet weather is not unusual during California’s winters, scientists say human-caused climate change is altering the planet’s weather patterns.

This makes storms wetter, more violent and more unpredictable, while also causing dry periods to be hotter and longer.