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Friday, August 19, 2022

Cue Ominous Voice: "It's not a matter of if, but when"

Megadrought may be the main weather concern across the West right now amid the constant threat of wildfires and earthquakes. But a new study warns another crisis is looming in California: "Megafloods." 
-Still Grumpy

*****

Hey, parts of California, particularly the San Joaquin Valley, floods at the drop of a hat.
It's flatter than hell and the soil is generally hardpan, baked by the unrelenting summer sun. Rain just doesn't soak in like it does around here, it just stands there and eventually runs off to the nearest low spot.
The average rainfall for Modesto is about 12 inches annually, so three or four inches of rain in a 24 hour period will cause some serious flooding in some areas. I've seen it first hand.