California is experiencing ongoing flooding and high tides caused by recent storms, with authorities rescuing stranded motorists and clearing mud from roads. The region faces additional thunderstorms, with some areas still under flood watch and snow in the mountains. The San Francisco Bay Area saw record-breaking King Tides, leading to flooded streets and water rescues, while parts of Santa Barbara County reopened after mudslides and a fatality occurred. The series of storms marks a significant wet period after a dry autumn.
California is experiencing ongoing flooding and high tides caused by recent storms, with road closures, rescues, and flooding across multiple counties, while forecasters warn of more thunderstorms and rain to come.
The Northeast experienced snow and bitter cold as 2026 began, with significant snowfall and arctic blasts, while Southern California faces heavy rains and flood threats, including disruptions to the Rose Parade and potential flooding across the region.
Warmer ocean temperatures, attributed to a combination of El Niño and climate change, are causing havoc along the Pacific Coast, leading to catastrophic floods in California and deadly wildfires in Chile. The warmer oceans and air allow the atmosphere to hold more moisture, intensifying atmospheric rivers and precipitation. While scientists debate the exact contribution of climate change to these events, it's clear that ocean temperatures have been steadily rising, with global average sea surface temperatures matching record highs. The increasing moisture in atmospheric rivers is expected to worsen in a warming climate, potentially leading to more extreme weather events.
The U.S. launched strikes in Iraq and Syria, Senate negotiators released a $118 billion border security bill, California is facing intense rain and flooding, Fani Willis admitted to a relationship with a prosecutor in Trump's Georgia case, Taylor Swift made history at the Grammy Awards, invasive ants are affecting lion hunting in Kenya, and scientists are concerned about the moon shrinking and its potential impact on future moon bases.
