California storms live updates: 224,000 without power as severe weather pounds state

Written by ABC Audio. All rights reserved. on January 10, 2023

(NEW YORK) — Dangerously stormy weather continues to wallop California, drenching the drought-stricken state with a sudden and near constant onslaught of rain and snow, leaving a trail of destruction.

The National Weather Service has warned of a “relentless parade of atmospheric rivers” in the West Coast over the coming week. President Joe Biden has issued an emergency declaration for California, ordering federal assistance to supplement state and local response efforts.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

Jan 10, 8:03 AM EST
Over 224,000 customers without power in California

More than 224,000 customers were without power across California early Tuesday, as storms unabatedly battered the Golden State.

As of 4:56 a.m. PT, there were 224,470 Californian customers without power, according to data collected by the website PowerOutage.us. A majority of those — 64,057 customers — were located in Santa Clara County.

Jan 10, 7:56 AM EST
California sees record rain, snow

Storms have dumped copious amounts of rain over California in recent days.

Santa Barbara received a record 4.12 inches of rainfall on Monday alone.

In the past two days, Ventura County counted 16.34 inches, Santa Barbara County 16.05 inches, Los Angeles County 7.12 inches and Monterey County up to 10.71 inches.

Meanwhile, the highest wind gust in the last 24 hours — up to 88 miles per hour — was recorded in the mountains near Santa Clarita.

Another 5 to 10 inches of rainfall is expected across California through the weekend, with the possibility of more flooding. An additional 4 to 6 feet of snow in the Sierra Nevada mountain range is also in the forecast.

Jan 10, 7:47 AM EST
The latest forecast for California

An unusually long and powerful jet stream is bringing tropical moisture all the way from Southeast Asia to California. It’s been parked over the Pacific Ocean for weeks, with no end in sight.

The latest forecast shows parts of these Pacific storms moving into the Rocky Mountains on Tuesday, with heavy snowfall and gusty winds.

The next storm is already arriving in the San Francisco Bay Area on Tuesday morning and will last through the day. Los Angeles and other parts of Southern California will also get more rain with this new storm, according to the forecast.

California will have some respite on Tuesday night before a new storm arrives in the San Francisco Bay Area on Wednesday morning.

This pattern of stormy weather will not end there. The forecast shows yet another system arriving at the end of the week and lasting through the weekend, bringing even more rain from San Francisco to Los Angeles.

Jan 10, 7:12 AM EST
Tornado warnings for parts of Central California

The National Weather Service issued two tornado warnings for parts of Central California early Tuesday morning.

The first lasts until 4 a.m. PT and includes the areas of Rancho Calaveras, Valley Springs and San Andreas. The second lasts until 4:15 a.m. PT and includes the areas of Modesto, Ceres and Riverbank.

Jan 10, 6:47 AM EST
Over 192,000 customers without power in California

More than 192,000 customers were without power across California early Tuesday, as storms unabatedly battered the Golden State.

As of 3:37 a.m. PT, there were 192,426 Californian customers without power, according to data collected by the website PowerOutage.us. A majority of those — 85,314 customers — were located in Santa Clara County.