Mudslides & Flooding Produced By Extreme Rainfall Over Southern California

It is sunny in southern California today but recent unusually heavy rainfall led to rock slides, mudslides and flooding in that part of the country. Rainfall of almost 4 inches (101.6 mm) in one day was reported in Long Beach, California. Some highways in the area were flooded due to intense downpours. Rainfall since the fall of 2016 has improved drought conditions over northern California but Southern California has been slower to improve because of the exceptional rainfall deficit in that area. 

Mudslides & Flooding Produced By Extreme Rainfall Over Southern California

NASA's Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) were used to estimate the total amount of rain that fell over the western United States from January 17-24, 2017. Rainfall totals of over 9 inches (228.6 mm) were shown in some areas. IMERG rainfall totals have been adjusted to reflect observed values in other similar extreme rainfall events.

Images and caption by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC)