Last month's atmospheric river is setting new records for ten Northern California counties.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says it was the wettest October for the ten counties since 1895. The October 24th atmospheric river cut an eastbound swath from the Sonoma County coast to El Dorado and Amador counties in the Sierra. Napa, Solano, Contra Costa, Alameda, Yolo, San Joaquin, and Sacramento counties were also a part of the record-setting rainfall. NOAA says it was also the fourth wettest October ever for the entire state. AccuWeather chief broadcast meteorologist Bernie Rayno said the moisture from new incoming storm could be traced all the way to the tropical Pacific.
"This is going to be a potentially very wet system and a very warm system," Rayno said. Widespread rainfall totals of 1-3 inches are expected across the low-lying valleys of the Pacific Northwest from this storm, AccuWeather said. At higher elevations, rainfall amounts could ramp up significantly, perhaps to over a half of a foot along the western-facing slopes.
Though beneficial for water supplies, these events can wreak havoc on travel, bring deadly mudslides and cause catastrophic damage to life and property, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said.