PlanetScope • Lake Nacimiento, San Luis Obispo County, CA • January 16, 2023

In this week’s issue: Clouds clear after a torrent of atmospheric rivers bombard California; two rias glow in Spain; and grasses invade marshes in China.

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FEATURE STORY

Atmospheric Rivers

California is left drenched, flooded, and perhaps a little hopeful after recurring atmospheric rivers pummeled the state for 2 weeks straight. The rains are a small reprieve for the area’s years-long drought. But the sheer volume of rainfall was much more than the parched landscape could handle. With a turn of the faucet, the state went from too dry to too wet in what’s called a “weather whiplash,” transforming the Golden State to shades of brown.

PlanetScope • Watsonville, Santa Cruz County, CA • December 18, 2022 -  January 17, 2023

Despite its appearance as empty space, the atmosphere is actually fluid. And rivers can move through it as if on land. There are between 4-5 of these atmospheric rivers on Earth at any given time and they can hold up to 15 times the volume of the Mississippi River. But while they’re a normal part of the global weather system, having back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back events in just 2 weeks isn’t.

PlanetScope • Lake Nacimiento (aka Dragon Lake), San Luis Obispo County, CA • November 25, 2022 - January 16, 2023, Peru • July 8, 2020

It can be difficult to photograph intense rainfall events as they happen. Rain comes from clouds, which get in between satellites and the ground, obscuring any observable changes as they happen in real time. It’s only until after the clouds have parted that the picture unfolds and the damage takes shape.

PlanetScope • Sacramento, Sacramento County, CA • December 16, 2022 - January 17, 2023

Satellites have been pivotal in forecasting the storms’ movements, monitoring conditions like soil wetness during the deluge, and assessing critical areas after the rivers passed through. Some areas in California have already received an amount of rainfall equivalent to what they get in a year. And the impacts are distinctly visible: from swelled rivers to rising reservoir levels.

PlanetScope • Twitchell Reservoir, Santa Barbara County, CA • December 24, 2022, January 6 & 17, 2023

The rain that bombarded California’s coast turned to snow as it reached the Sierra Nevada mountain range, boosting the snowpack to over twice the average for this time of year. Which is great news since it’s a critical supply to the state’s reservoirs (about 30%). It’s not enough to completely reverse years of intense drought, but it’s certainly a welcome start.

SkySat • Palisades, Sierra Nevada, CA • March 30, 2021

The price paid for the rainfall, however, is now being tallied—and it’s grim. The 24.5tn gallons of water that fell across California flooded communities, triggered mudslides, impaired infrastructure, took lives, and cost more than $1 billion in damages. And in the coming months questions about preparedness and water management will be front and center for the state.

PlanetScope • Fortuna, Humboldt County, CA • December 17, 2022 - January 1, 2023

The past three weeks have surprised many of those accustomed to California’s sunny dryness, even turning places like the waterfalls of Butte County into landscapes easily mistaken for Hawaii. But the transformation is indicative of a larger problem: retention. Like drinking from a hose, only some of the stream makes its way to where it matters. A lot of the water that has fallen in the past few weeks is flowing right back into the ocean and highlighting California’s need to work on its storage capabilities. Add it to the state’s growing laundry list of climate adaptation strategies.

PlanetScope • Lake Sonoma, Sonoma County, CA • December 16, 2022 - January 17, 2023

California isn’t the only place inundated with water. The global hydrological system has spilled over in Western Australia too, where Tropical Cyclone Ellie and yet another La Niña year contributed to major flooding. The flow rate at Fitzroy River reached nearly three times its typical rate during floods, and the overflow is visibly seen by satellite.

PlanetScope • Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia • December 19, 2022 - January 9, 2023

Unfortunately, climate change is intensifying extreme rain events and disrupting communities to an unseen degree.There’s no ark that can save us. Just widespread preparedness.

PlanetScope • Flooding in Elk Grove, CA • December 28, 2022 - January 1, 2023

What in the World

Glowing Rias

Today’s episode of Between Two Rias features Huelva in Andalusia, Spain. While browsing the country’s southern coast for plastic greenhouses last week, we spotted the port city surrounded by two colorful rias (drowned river valleys open to the sea). On some days their fractal-like tendrils take on striking colors. Have an idea what causes the color? Let us know!

PlanetScope • Huelva, Spain • December 29, 2021

And here’s the city on another recent day, with slightly more painterly tones.

PlanetScope • Huelva, Spain • January 5, 2023

Grass Invaders

The Spartina alterniflora grass species is engaged in a turf war in China’s coastal wetlands. The grass is invading marshes with the proficiency of their namesake Greek warriors. To address the threat to ecosystem health, researchers are using satellites to study the species’ life cycle and response to environmental factors in order to help manage the plant’s growth.

PlanetScope • Yellow River Estuary, Dongying, China • December 11, 2022

Weekly Revisit

Last week we explored how satellite data can be used to forecast future events, from deforestation to disease outbreaks. So check it out in case you missed it and take a look at the whole archive if you’re extra curious.

SkySat • Empty Yingwuzhou Yangtze River Bridge, Wuhan, China • January 28, 2020