California's stormy weather, explained

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L.A. Times Studios

News, Daily News, Society & Culture, The Times, California

4.1 • 544 Ratings

🗓️ 11 January 2023

⏱️ 26 minutes

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Summary

This month's record-setting rain and snow across California also comes with terms many of us know but can't explain. Today, we do that.

Transcript

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0:00.0	For the past few years, all we've heard about in California when it comes to rain is drought.
0:07.7	We're in the driest spell in 1,200 years.
0:11.9	1,200.
0:13.4	The Aztec Empire wasn't even a thing back then.
0:16.3	But then last week, it began to rain.
0:19.5	A lot.
0:21.0	California gets hit by another storm system, dumping more rain-causing flooding and bringing
0:26.5	high winds, causing power outages from downed lines.
0:31.1	Emergency evacuations, widespread flooding deaths, power outages.
0:35.8	And then there's all this rain terminology that lurks into California psyche.
0:40.7	Atmospheric rivers, pineapple express, bomb cyclones.
0:44.6	But since we're in an epic drought, we usually don't give those much thought until it's too late.
0:52.6	I'm Gustavo Areano.
0:54.1	You're listening to The Times, Essential News news from the L.A. Times.
0:58.3	It's Wednesday, January 11, 2023.
1:00.9	Today, rain 101 in California.
1:03.7	We figure out what all this weather phenomena are, that rule rain in the state, and then ask the eternal question.
1:09.0	Are they friend, foe, or frenemy?
1:17.7	It's times like these that we turn to my colleagues of catastrophe,
1:20.8	are mariners of madness, the beacons of light in a world of fright
1:24.2	whose might smites fights, or something like that.
1:27.2	Yep, it's time for
	...

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