'Godzilla El Niño' may be coming to California, could bring 'extreme rainfall'

LOS ANGELES (KTLA) -- As El Niño continued to strengthen in the Pacific Ocean, climatologists on Thursday suggested in the wake of a newly released report that it has the potential to become the most powerful ever recorded and could bring "extreme rainfall" to drought-stricken California.

"Everything now is going to the right way for El Niño," Patzert said. "If this lines up to its potential, this thing can bring a lot of floods, mudslides and mayhem."
Link to article

I'm sure a lot of Californians will be thrilled by this news.

a reply to: Profusion

It's strong, but it's still trending below the '98 El Nino.

What's unusual about it is The Blob and its associated persistent high pressure ridge.

a reply to: Profusion

Yeah, thrilled That means bad drivers everywhere and congested freeways during the rainfall. But at least my lawn will get some water

a reply to: Profusion

That takes care of the water shortage I guess, if it's going to be a lot of rain. They better not complain about flooding lol.

a reply to: ketsuko

El Nino and The Blob are two separate events.

Well Now Everyone can Continue to Water Their Lawns...Thank God the Water Level Aquifer will be Re-filled...I'd just Hate to See Perfectly Green Grass Dried Up...(sarcasm)...

Why not... Oklahoma almost got washed away in the spring... Florida just had like 18 days of rain in a row.


Why not California.. Just be careful what you wish for.

a reply to: Skid Mark

The article states that the rainfall will not be enough to reverse the drought. This is a comment attributed to a spokesperson from the water management folks from those parts.

originally posted by: TrueBrit
a reply to: Skid Mark

The article states that the rainfall will not be enough to reverse the drought. This is a comment attributed to a spokesperson from the water management folks from those parts.

I think they will keep saying that even if they were under 20 feet of water lol

originally posted by: Kali74
a reply to: ketsuko

El Nino and The Blob are two separate events.

Yes, but they are happening in the same oceanic system and they both have effects on the West Coast of the US directly affecting what weather it will get.

So in that, they are related. For example, the high pressure ridge over The Blob forces low pressure systems that normally bring rain much further north than normal. There is not telling what effects it may have on the weather systems forming to the south of it. It may inhibit them, intensify them or force them off the path a normal strong El Nino would create.

Bring the fun.

a reply to: Profusion

No problem, I have a well devised plan.
Neighbor has a boat.

we have had some serious rainfall this year in scotland, my summer has been crap to say the least, luckily our weather is pretty mild to what you guys get in the states, i remember the tornadoes we got in missouri...i dont miss those! lol

Do they have restrictions on homeowners collecting rainwater in Cali?

originally posted by: JacKatMtn
Do they have restrictions on homeowners collecting rainwater in Cali?

what the hell is that all about? why on earth would people be prohibited to collecting rainwater? does the government own the rain now or?

a reply to: JacKatMtn

Do they have restrictions on homeowners collecting rainwater in Cali?

Probably, for when they decide they want to enforce it the laws already there.
They'd put a governor on your wind pipe and fine ya for excessive breathing out here.

a reply to: kellyjay

it's one of those southwest deals.. not sure about Cali, but some of the states frown upon collecting the rainwater from your property.. never made sense to me, but there must be a good reason?

I would much rather gather the bounty, than have it runoff into the ocean and help amplify the mudslides, flashfloods etc etc... that occur when blessed rain does fall?

common sense, gather it when you can?

So with this el nino and possible extensive rainfall for the pacific coast of the US, how much of this water/rainfall will be beneficial considering the endless pollution of radioactive waste that has stricken the pacific ocean from japan going to effect everything?

a reply to: Raven1354

I would think that depends on how much rain falls in a short period of time, that is what causes the most trouble, heavy rains for a short period, with any luck, Cali can just have a nice extended period of rain over a period of weeks, and allow the earth to absorb, aquifers to replenish without much degradation due to slides, floods and the like...

Hope for the best for my left coast folks... we may tend to disagree vehemently on many issues, but I wouldn't use that to wish you ill will...

all the best...

originally posted by: Skid Mark
a reply to: Profusion



That takes care of the water shortage I guess, if it's going to be a lot of rain. They better not complain about flooding lol.

Not really. It will help the surface water levels in the reservoirs, but recharging the depleted groundwater tables will take long periods of slow, soaking rain and years of normal snowpack, neither of which "extreme rainfall" provides.

If the rains get trapped against the coastal mountains and don't move into the central valley, then it's all for nothing, anyway. It will all head right into the Pacific, leaving a trail of destruction behind.