Storms hit California, leaving large amounts of damage

California has been hit with days of rain, high winds, and cold temperatures for the past few weeks. While at first it may seem harmless, the heavy rain has taken a toll on many parts of California and led to many dangers. These include things like flooding and water damage.

With California being in a long drought, many would think that rain is a welcome sight. However, the drought actually makes heavy rain more dangerous than it already is. Dry dirt is more packed together, making it harder for water to soak into the ground. This makes it easier for floods and flash floods to occur. 

With the large amount of rain, many buildings and structures are suffering from water damage. The floods are also playing a role in this. Many classes at El Rancho are suffering from the effects of the rain. While in my fourth period Spanish class, a ceiling panel fell due to the amount of water that was on it. 

Other forms of water damage are showing up in cities. Sinkholes have shown up in multiple areas around California. These sinkholes can cause major damage to infrastructure like pipes and may even be deadly. A recent sinkhole became large enough to swallow a parked vehicle. These may show often in the following weeks due to the water damage. 

The cold weather also resulted in hail and even snow in some parts. Anaheim also had a few minutes of snow, the first time since 1949. Los Angeles County had a rare blizzard warning. These situations may cause problems for these areas. Due to how rare they are, many are not prepared on how to handle damage from hail or snow.

The heavy rain was a very interesting sight in California. These large storms not only brought rare weather conditions but also brought dangers that we need to be aware of and prepared for.