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A major thunderstorm like the one that produced devastating flash flooding in Texas over the holiday weekend is not likely in the Bay Area or most of California, but climate scientists say that if the perfect weather at the right time of year and geography align, serious flooding can still wreak havoc here.
There are several significant differences between the recent deluge in Texas, which has killed more than 100 people, and the type of flooding that happens in California. First, in the Golden State, it’s the cold winter months that bring flooding, often from back-to-back atmospheric river storms. The instability caused by these rainstorms, which douse the region in water, can generate thunderstorms of varying intensity and trigger flooding.
California typically doesn’t experience massive warm summertime storms because of its Mediterranean climate. The disastrous Texas flooding is a reminder that the ferocity of Mother Nature isn’t always predictable. As the climate continues to warm, resulting in wetter storms, Californians living near waterways need to be prepared for more extreme weather events…