West coast weather: Persistent storms batter the west coast with strong winds, driving rain

CNN
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A series of atmospheric river-driven storms are pounding the West with strong winds, driving rain, heavy mountain snow and rolling massive waves and dangerous seas just off the coast.

The seemingly never-ending series of storms began over the weekend but turned deadly early this week in California.

A man died Monday morning after being trapped under debris at Sunset State Beach in central California, the Associated Press reported. A large wave likely crushed him there, according to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office.

Another man was likely swept out to sea just a few miles south at Marina State Beach early Monday afternoon, authorities said. The U.S. Coast Guard and California Highway Patrol were deployed to search for the man by air and sea, but were unable to find him, according to Marina Police.

Waves were about 10 feet high in the Monterey Bay area — where both incidents occurred — from late Monday morning to early afternoon, according to data from NOAA. Waves as high as 25 feet were reported elsewhere near the coast of northern and central California on Monday.

The storm expanded its threats Tuesday as heavy rains flooded the northern half of California, including San Francisco. Rainfall could reach 3 to 4 inches per hour during the heaviest rain Tuesday, mainly in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, the National Weather Service warned.

Torrential rain can create flooding and debris flows, especially across burn scars in the area. Burn scars are often a combination of burned plant life, debris, and an altered soil layer that makes them prone to flooding.

Heavy mountain snow will fall through Tuesday in the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada and parts of the Cascades, where winter weather warnings are in place. Widespread snowfall up to a foot is possible with isolated totals potentially exceeding a foot.

Along with snow, widespread gusts of 70 mph with isolated cross-ridge gusts potentially reaching 90 mph could cause blowing snow and reduced visibility for all travelers.

This storm is also whipping up winds elsewhere along the west coast, where high wind warnings are in effect. Widespread gusts of 60 mph could cause power outages on land and amplify already dangerous waves offshore. Waves of up to 35 feet could cause coastal erosion and damage to coastal communities this week.

“Life-threatening swimming and surfing conditions and significant shoreline erosion can be expected,” the NWS warned. “Large waves can sweep across the beach without warning, pulling people into the sea from cliffs, jetties and beaches.”

A dramatic collapse of a section of the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf Monday afternoon underscored the growing challenges of climate change and the urgent need for public safety measures.

Around 12:45 p.m. Monday, the end of the dock, about a 200-foot section, collapsed into the Pacific Ocean, along with three workers, a closed restaurant and a closed public bathroom, Santa Cruz city officials said Tuesday.

The part of the quay and the city’s iconic Dolphin restaurant had been closed to the public for construction since last December following significant damage caused by previous storms.

As powerful waves driven by high tides and windy conditions pounded the wharf on Monday, the active construction site collapsed into the sea. The rest of the dock is intact, officials said.

Two of the workers who fell into the water were rescued by a lifeguard and the other person rescued himself, Assistant City Manager Michelle Templeton said Tuesday.

The city was expecting the big ocean swell this week and had deployed eight extra lifeguards, some of whom were patrolling the water on watercraft, when the incident occurred, according to Ryan Reber, chief of operations for the city’s fire department.

“It was definitely not what we thought would happen, but we were prepared and we were already in the water, so it was a quick deployment and a quick rescue for us. We had this on our radar,” Reber said.

The collapse, attributed to the relentless force of the sea, has left significant debris, including pilings and sections of the deck, posing a serious hazard to navigation and public safety. The incident was “yet another testament to the power of our changing climate,” City Manager Matt Huffaker said.

Officials are asking the public not to try to retrieve debris back into the water.

Back-to-back storms last December caused the first closure of the pier and prompted a $4 million dollar restoration project that is underway, city officials said.

“As many people know and see on a daily basis here in Santa Cruz, climate change has brought more intense storms, combined with sea level rise, and thus the city continues to face growing challenges that threaten Santa Cruz’s infrastructure and coastline,” said Templeton.

Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley said the city will need to address the broader challenges going forward.

“I don’t think we’re alone. I think that’s what coastal communities around the world are probably dealing with in that manifestation of climate change,” Keeley said Tuesday.

As the city prepares for more severe weather, officials urged the public to heed high surf warnings and steer clear of beaches. “Our coastline is wild. It’s unpredictable,” Huffaker warned, urging vigilance during the holiday season.

More stormy weather ahead for Christmas and beyond

The storm hitting the West Coast will move east on Wednesday and could bring up to a foot of snowfall across the Rockies, just in time for Christmas Day and the start of Hanukkah.

It will eventually move into the southern plains on Thursday, where its threat will change again, this time to severe thunderstorms. The strongest threat of severe storms could include eastern Texas and northwestern Louisiana Thursday afternoon, where a Level 2 out of 5 risk of severe storms is in place, according to the Storm Prediction Center.

The West Coast will have only a brief break from storms before another atmospheric river-driven storm begins to lash the coast Wednesday evening, bringing an extended round of coastal and lower-elevation precipitation and higher-elevation snowfall through the weekend.

Rainfall totals of 5 to 10 inches are possible late in the week, which could lead to additional flooding and rising river levels. Feet of snowfall could bury the area’s higher elevations, and wind gusts of up to 65 mph could bring life-threatening conditions to travelers, the NWS warned.

CNN Meteorologist Mary Gilbert and CNN’s Karina Tsui contributed to this report.