California officials anticipate about two years’ worth of rainfall would fall across the Western US after one of the driest weather seasons in the region’s history and 70% of the Southern parts in a state of extreme drought.
Previously, Las Vegas residents only experienced rainfall on two separate occasions in the last 273 days. Phoenix, on the other hand, only had 15 days of rainy days last year, marking its fewest in any year on record.
However, weather forecasters anticipate a drastic change in the weather pattern that would provide much-needed rain across California.
Following the powerful winds that are blowing through Santa Ana this week that have already forced the shutting of power in about 270,000 households, the rainy weather is making its way south. The weather agency expects about three, and potentially four, separate storms that would hit the state in the last two weeks of the month.
Offshore in the Eastern Pacific, forecasters observed an area of high pressure building up and develop, forcing the jet stream to move from the north to the south. California has gone about ten months since the same weather pattern has been seen.
Residents observed the first of the opportunities on Wednesday as the weather system drew moisture from the Pacific into the Southwest. Officials have implemented flash flood watches across the Sonoran Desert of Eastern California and Western Arizona. The areas could potentially see up to three inches of rain through Friday.
Forecasters believe the weather pattern is the first of a series of wetter systems across California, which has averaged less than 2.5 inches of rainfall every year. Residents could expect to see about three to five inches of rain due to a storm every three to four days.
Arizona, Phoenix, and Yuma residents are also able to see the best opportunities for rain since the last precipitation on December 10 as the system slowly drifts east. Six out of the next seven days, Phoenix forecasts show that there is a high chance of showers, CNN reported.
Weather forecasters anticipate the weather system to stay until at least the weekend and would bring long-awaited rainfall across the region. Between Sunday and Monday, the entire Southwest part of the state could see showers.
Wananchi wa California wanatarajia mvua ya miaka miwili kuanguka katika eneo la magharibi la Marekani baada ya msimu wa ukame katika historia ya eneo hilo na asilimia 70 ya maeneo ya kusini ya jimbo hilo kuwa na ukame mkubwa. Kwa mujibu wa taarifa ya shirika la habari la CNN, wakazi wa Las Vegas wamepata mvua mara mbili tu katika siku 273 zilizopita. Phoenix, kwa upande mwingine, ilikuwa na siku 15 tu za mvua mwaka jana, ikionyesha idadi ndogo zaidi ya siku zilizorekodiwa. Hata hivyo, wataalamu wa hali ya hewa wanatarajia mabadiliko makubwa katika hali ya hewa ambayo yatatoa mvua inayohitajika sana kote California. Baada ya upepo mkali ambao umepiga Santa Ana wiki hii na kusababisha kuzimwa kwa umeme katika nyumba 270,000, hali ya hewa ya mvua inaelekea kusini. Shirika la hali ya hewa linatarajia dhoruba tatu, na uwezekano wa nne, tofauti ambazo zitagonga jimbo hilo katika wiki mbili za mwisho za mwezi huu. Katika eneo la mashariki mwa Pasifiki, wataalamu wa hali ya hewa waliona eneo la shinikizo la juu likijitokeza na kuenea, na kulazimisha mtiririko huo wa hewa usonge kutoka kaskazini hadi kusini. California imepita karibu miezi kumi tangu muundo huo wa hali ya hewa uonekane. Wakazi waliona fursa ya kwanza Jumatano wakati mfumo wa hali ya hewa ulivuta unyevu kutoka Pasifiki kwenda Kusini Magharibi. Serikali ya Marekani imeweka ulinzi wa dharura dhidi ya mafuriko katika jangwa la Sonoran, California, na Arizona. Maeneo hayo yanaweza kuona mvua ya inchi tatu hadi Ijumaa. Wataalamu wa hali ya hewa wanasema hali hiyo ya hewa ni ya kwanza katika mfululizo wa hali ya hewa ya mvua nchini California, ambayo imepata wastani wa mvua ya chini ya inchi 2.5 kila mwaka. Wakazi wanaweza kutarajia kuona karibu sentimeta tatu hadi tano za mvua kutokana na dhoruba kila siku tatu hadi nne. Wakazi wa Arizona, Phoenix na Yuma pia wana nafasi nzuri za kuona mvua tangu mvua ya mwisho Desemba 10, wakati mfumo huo unapita polepole mashariki. Kwa siku sita kati ya saba zijazo, utabiri wa Phoenix unaonyesha kuwa kuna uwezekano mkubwa wa mvua, CNN iliripoti. Wataalamu wa hali ya hewa wanatarajia hali ya hewa hiyo kubaki hadi mwishoni mwa wiki na italeta mvua inayosubiriwa kwa muda mrefu katika eneo hilo. Kati ya Jumapili na Jumatatu, sehemu nzima ya Kusini Magharibi ya jimbo inaweza kuona mvua.