(CNN) Still reeling from storms that flooded neighborhoods, forced rescues and destroyed roads, storm-battered California braced for another atmospheric river that threatened more flooding on Monday.
More than 17 million people remained under a flood watch across California and Nevada early Monday as the storm made its ominous approach — the 11th atmospheric hurricane to hit the West this winter. .
The new storm, coming on the heels of another atmospheric river, could worsen flooding and damage in some areas. Already, those in central and northern California are crammed into shelters and dealing with flooded neighborhoods, along with mudslides, dangerously flowing rivers, collapsed bridges and unusable roads. roads.
At least two people died as a result of the storms, officials said. Atmospheric rivers are long, narrow layers of moisture that carry saturated air thousands of miles like a fire hose.
The next such event will first bring rain and snow to much of Oregon and Washington before sinking south into California Monday. Rainfall totals of up to 8 inches are possible in parts of Northern and central California.
Parts of Salinas and other areas of Monterey County, south of San Francisco, could be cut off by flooding on the Salinas River, officials warned, urging many residents to prepare to flee.
The storm could also complicate efforts there to repair a levee breach that occurred around midnight Friday on the swollen Pajaro River, where evacuation alerts for 5,000 residents could be extended.
Water poured over a 120-foot break and into nearby Pajaro, forcing thousands to flee as crews rescued others. Nearly 200 rescuers due to flooding in the area, Monterey Sheriff Tina Nieto said.
Many residents of Pajaro are agricultural workers who may not only lose property but the ability to earn a living for some time if the continued flooding affects agriculture, said Luis Alejo, the head of board of supervisors of Monterey County.
“These are the people who can least afford this kind of hardship,” he said.
Across California’s 12 counties, nearly 500 people are in 30 shelters, with most of the hard-hit Santa Cruz County, just north of the Monterey area, the Office of Emergency Services said. California Governor’s Emergency.
President Joe Biden approved a state of emergency declaration requested by Governor Gavin Newsom, freeing up money for millions of residents hit by severe weather this year. Newsom on Sunday expanded the declaration to include six additional counties, including Calaveras, Del Norte, Glenn, Kings, San Benito and San Joaquin.
A busted levee and flooded river can be seen Sunday in Pajaro, California.
The last atmospheric rivers turned into lakes
Neighborhoods look like lakes after the heavy rains that pounded California in the past few days and pushed rivers and streams over their banks, pictures from across the state.
The California Highway Patrol used a helicopter to help rescue a man trapped in the Salinas River in King City, the agency said in a Facebook post. “The rising river washed away a driver and his car but the driver escaped the car and ended up on an island in the middle of the flooded Salinas River,” the post said.
Similar rescues took place across the state, with California National Guard troops responding with high-water vehicles.
In parts of Kern County — where evacuation orders remain in place — the flooding was so bad that a barn, a hot tub and trees, complete with root balls, floated down the Kern River in Kernville, one resident said.
“The river is now surrounded by some RVs and mobile homes. It’s unbelievable,” said Danny Housh, who has worked in Kernville for 17 years and said he’s never seen anything like it.
To the north, as Friday’s heavy rains pounded Santa Cruz County, about 700 Soquel residents were stranded after a pipe failure collapsed the only road connecting the community to the region, said Steve Wiesner, the assistant public works director of the county.
“We are now an island,” resident Molly Watson told CNN.
Another hard-hit area was Tulare County, where video from Springville showed devastating damage after Friday’s severe flooding.
“It’s very sad,” Hatti Shepard told CNN. “A lot of hardworking people lost their homes and possessions.”
Mammoth Lakes Fire Department firefighters responded to a propane heater leak and small fire at a closed restaurant surrounded by snowbanks Sunday in Mammoth Lakes, California.
What to expect on Monday as the storm moves in
The recent atmospheric rivers are the latest to flood the state after a barrage of similar storms in December and January also resulted in deadly flooding and widespread damage.
This new wave of storms is hitting areas that have already been buried by heavy snowfall from the past two weeks. Melting snowpack will also play a role in extending flooding in the coming days, forecasters said.
Despite the uncertainty of the timing of this system, forecasters know it will bring another round of heavy rain, as well as heavy snowfall for the higher elevations of the Sierra. Nevada.
The National Weather Service’s prediction center issued a Level 3 of 4 risk for excessive rain in northern California on Monday and parts of the central California coast and Sierra Nevada on Tuesday.
Rain is expected to begin intensifying late Monday and heavy rain, combined with melting snow, is forecast to increase flooding from Tuesday into Wednesday, according to National Weather Service.
The National Weather Service warned of “multiple impact flooding” below 5000-foot elevations in much of central California through Tuesday.
“Additionally, heavy rain and snowmelt could lead to renewed (more widespread) flooding from Monday into Tuesday, especially in low-level and shallow and warming areas of the snowpack ,” the National Weather Service said.
Streams and creeks, already overflowing, are expected to remain vulnerable to flooding from additional rain and snowmelt.
In Southern California, the highest rainfall rates of up to an inch per hour are expected in the mountains and foothills.
the weather service office in Los Angeles said residents can expect shallow mud and debris flows in recent fire areas, downed trees and power lines and travel delays due to flooded roads and mudslides.
CNN’s Haley Brink, Tina Burnside, Mike Valerio and Sharif Paget contributed to this report.
