Amid the ongoing threat of wildfires and earthquakes, "megadrought" may be the most pressing weather problem in the West today.
However, recent research warns of another impending disaster in California: "megafloods."
According to the report, hundreds of miles of California may get feet — and in some areas, more than 100 inches — of rain during a month-long storm.
Similar persistent storms have occurred in the past, before tens of millions of people settled in the region.
This DigitalGlobe satellite picture from February 28, 2019, shows The Russian River overflowing in Guerneville, California.
This DigitalGlobe satellite picture from February 28, 2019, shows The Russian River overflowing in Guerneville, California.
There is higher precipitation overall, more intense rainfall hourly, and greater wind.