2022–2023 California floods facts for kids
Floods caused by multiple atmospheric rivers in California beginning on December 31, 2022 resulted in periods of heavy rainfall that affected parts of Southern California, the California Central Coast, Northern California and Nevada. The flooding resulted in property damage and at least 22 fatalities, making it the deadliest U.S. meteorological event of 2023 to date.
At least 200,000 homes and business lost power because of the storm and 6,000 individuals were ordered to evacuate. The floods were widely reported by media as an example of how climate change is increasing extreme changes in weather, especially cycles of precipitation and drought. Scientists interviewed by Los Angeles Times said that further study is needed to determine the connection and California has recorded similar events almost every decade since records started in the 19th century. Other scientists have emphasized that floods were caused by ocean warming, directly related to climate change. Scientist Kevin Trenberth declared that "the interaction between the warming ocean and the overlying atmosphere (...) is producing these prodigious rainfalls that have occurred in so many places around the world recently". Before the rains started, California had been in an extreme drought.
Due to the storms, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on January 4, 2023. President Joe Biden then declared a state of emergency in 17 California counties on January 9, 2023. That same day, two lawmakers sent a letter urging President Biden to declare a state of emergency for San Luis Obispo County and Santa Barbara County. Biden approved a major disaster declaration for Santa Cruz, Sacramento and Merced counties on January 14. Monterey, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties were added a few days later to the declaration. Biden surveyed the damage with Newsom on January 19. Accuweather estimated the costs of California floods to $31 billion to $34 billion on January 10. This estimate is preliminary and will be finalized later in 2023 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
