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What is an "atmospheric river"?

The weather phenomenon is threatening California again after a storm wreaked havoc in the state last weekend.

Un río atmosférico empapa California en febrero de 2019

Un río atmosférico empapa California en febrero de 2019 (NOAA Satellites / Flickr)

Published by
Rosana Rábago Sainz

A new weather phenomenon is making life difficult for Californians. After the passage of Elliot just a few days ago, an atmospheric river caused the deaths of three people in the Golden State last weekend, as published by Telemundo. However, the worst is yet to come. The National Weather Service warned on Dec. 31, 2022, via Twitter, of the arrival of "a potent winter storm." The storm will cause heavy snowfall in the mountains as well as gusts of wind and heavy rains.

Atmospheric rivers

These are just some of the consequences of what are known as atmospheric rivers. However, as with bombogenesis, many citizens do not know what this term means. As detailed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on its website, atmospheric rivers are:

Relatively long, narrow regions in the atmosphere – like rivers in the sky – that transport most of the water vapor outside of the tropics. These columns of vapor move with the weather, carrying an amount of water vapor roughly equivalent to the average flow of water at the mouth of the Mississippi River. When the atmospheric rivers make landfall, they often release this water vapor in the form of rain or snow.

The atmospheric rivers have not yet finished their journey across the nation. According to Accuweather, the storm will be much more powerful and will hit the Pacific by mid-week, dumping heavy rain and causing flooding and landslides. "The storm is likely to gain strength and slow down as it approaches California at midweek," said meteorologist Joe Bauer. The storm will continue its track from Hawaii to California and affect much of the western and central parts of the nation beginning Saturday.

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