California is currently being hit with heavy rain and flooding as a result of two atmospheric rivers slamming the West Coast.
The first storm, known as the Pineapple Express, made landfall on Wednesday in northern California causing mountain snow, gusty winds and rockslides. In addition to this storm, another is expected over the weekend with potential for even stronger impacts than this one.
California is currently being hit with heavy rain and flooding as a result of two atmospheric rivers slamming the West Coast. The first storm, known as the Pineapple Express, made landfall on Wednesday in northern California causing mountain snow, gusty winds and rockslides. In addition to this storm, another is expected over the weekend with potential for even stronger impacts than this one. This second storm has already caused flash flooding and landslides in Santa Barbara County.
California is being drenched with heavy rain as back-to-back atmospheric rivers slam the West Coast
The “Pineapple Express” - so called because it originates near Hawai’i in the tropical Pacific - is the first of two systems expected to hit the region. The storm made landfall on Wednesday, causing heavy mountain snow, gusty winds and Rockslides in northern California.
The second storm in the series will arrive in California over the weekend and has the potential to be much stronger than this one. Models suggest it could intensify as it approaches the coast of California, a process called bombogenesis in which a spinning low-pressure system rapidly deepens.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(75%)
The article contains several examples of an appeal to authority and inflammatory rhetoric. The author cites the National Weather Service as a source for information about atmospheric rivers and their effects on California's water supply, without providing any context or analysis of this information. Additionally, the use of phrases such as
The storm made landfall on Wednesday
San Diego County was under flood advisory throughout 10am Friday
WATCH: First of two storms pounds Southern California
Bias
(85%)
The article is biased towards the negative impact of the Pineapple Express storm on California. The author uses language that depicts the storm as a threat to flash floods and landslides, which creates an extreme sense of urgency for readers. Additionally, there are several examples throughout the article where quotes from experts or scientists are used to support claims about how atmospheric rivers can cause flooding and mudslides. These quotes give credibility to the author's assertions but also create a one-sided view of the situation.
One person was injured after a tree fell on a house in Saratoga according to the National Weather Service.
Rain batters Venice Beach as Pineapple Express hits West Coast
The storm made landfall on Wednesday, causing heavy mountain snow, gusty winds and Rockslides in northern California.
The National Weather Service in Los Angeles warned that Sunday's storm had the potential for significant/damaging flood impacts.
Coastal mountain ranges are expected to receive a significant amount of rainfall before Sunday's storm moves out of the region next Wednesday.
In 2005, landslides caused by heavy rains killed 10 people and destroyed homes in Ventura County. Twenty-three people were killed in landslides that struck Santa Barbara in 2018 following excessive rainfall.
Accuracy
Residents of Southern California are being warned to prepare themselves for a potentially life-threatening atmospheric river storm that is expected to arrive on Sunday.
The National Weather Service in Los Angeles warned that Sunday's storm, the second atmospheric river event this week, had the potential for significant/damaging flood impacts.
Computer models continue to update just how bad Sunday's storm will be for Southern California and a European simulation predicts as much as 10 inches of rain in 24 hours in some locations and a massive amount of snow at upper elevations.
With upwards of three inches of rain having already saturated the ground across much of the state, the addition of several more inches, especially in Southern California, is setting the stage for the possibility of flash flooding and landslides.
It's possible upcoming (Sun-Tue) event could bring widespread significant flood impacts similar to those during Jan 2005 event.
Sunday's storm will be the second atmospheric river event this week, which is defined as narrow regions in the atmosphere that transport much of the moisture from the tropics to northern latitudes.
California receives a bulk of its annual rainfall courtesy of atmospheric river storms each year, but rising global temperatures could increase amount precipitation falling during recent storms.
Ocean temperatures both near coast and extending southwestward across much North Pacific are much warmer than average. This warm ocean increases amount moisture in lower levels atmosphere (thus in storms) due increased evaporation and may also be contributing to apparent propensity extreme hourly t-storm downpours this year coastal CA by boosting convective instability.
The appetizer to Sunday's main course is the atmospheric river storm that slammed into California on Wednesday, which caused coastal flooding across Los Angeles County including Long Beach and toppled trees in many locations northern part state.
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author uses sensationalist language such as 'potentially life-threatening' and 'massive amount of snow'. This creates a sense of urgency that may not be warranted based on the information provided. Secondly, the author quotes sources without disclosing them or providing any context for their expertise. Thirdly, the article contains selective reporting as it only mentions two examples from previous storms and does not provide any other relevant information about landslides caused by atmospheric river events in Southern California.
The author uses sensationalist language such as 'potentially life-threatening' and 'massive amount of snow'. This creates a sense of urgency that may not be warranted based on the information provided. For example, the article states:
Fallacies
(75%)
The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing the National Weather Service and a climate scientist as sources for information about the storm's potential impact. Additionally, there is an example of inflammatory rhetoric in the statement 'Is your home, business or school in a floodplain? Where is water likely to collect on the roadways you most often travel?' which creates fear and urgency in readers. The author also uses dichotomous depiction by stating that Sunday's storm has the potential for significant/damaging flood impacts, implying that it will either be very bad or not at all.
The National Weather Service in Los Angeles warned
Is your home, business or school in a floodplain? Where is water likely to collect on the roadways you most often travel?
Bias
(85%)
The article contains several examples of bias. The author uses language that dehumanizes those who do not prepare for the storm, saying 'I am BEGGING you to prepare like your life is on the line next week'. This creates a sense of urgency and fear in readers which could be seen as an attempt to manipulate them into taking action. Additionally, the author uses quotes from experts that are presented as absolute truths without providing any context or evidence for their claims.
8-10 inches of rain expected in next 6 days, and this likely an underestimate
I am BEGGING you to prepare like your life is on the line next week
Pack in advance if you are at risk of needing to evacuate. Don't wait until the last moment to gather the essentials for yourself, your family AND your pets.
The appetizer to Sunday’s main course
The National Weather Service in Los Angeles warned that Sunday’s storm, the second atmospheric river event this week, had the “potential for significant/damaging flood impacts.”
California is being drenched with heavy rain as back-to-back atmospheric rivers slam the West Coast
The current storm hit Northern California first, flooding roads on Wednesday and prompting closures of streets and schools in rural communities outside the Bay Area.
`Residents were warned of flash flooding as the storm system continues through the weekend.`
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California Governor✙s Office of Emergency Services activated its operations centre and positioned personnel and equipment in areas most at risk from the weather.
The ✜Pineapple Express✝ - so called because it originates near Hawai'i in the tropical Pacific - is the first of two systems expected to hit the region.
`Significant rainfall from back-to-back storms is likely to affect almost the whole state.`
The second storm in the series will arrive in California over the weekend and has the potential to be much stronger than this one. Models suggest it could intensify as it approaches the coast of California, a process called bombogenesis in which a spinning low-pressure system rapidly deepens.
The lPineapple Expressm - so called because it originates near Hawai'i in the tropical Pacific, tends to be warm, snow may still fall at higher elevations but rain usually falls on lower elevations.
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When an atmospheric river reaches land it causes melting and runoff which can lead to flooding and decrease the snowpack needed for California's water supply.
The first of two storms pounds Southern California with heavy rain, gusty winds, Rockslides in northern California.
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One person was injured after a tree fell on a house due to the storm.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(30%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author uses sensationalist language such as 'downed trees', 'flooded roads' and 'snarled travel'. This creates a sense of urgency and danger that may not be entirely accurate or necessary to convey the information about the storm. Secondly, there is no clear indication in this article whether any damage has been caused by previous atmospheric rivers, which could have contributed to the current situation. The author also uses quotes from officials without providing context on their expertise or qualifications for commenting on such matters.
The use of sensationalist language creates a sense of urgency and danger that may not be entirely accurate or necessary.
Fallacies
(70%)
The article contains an appeal to authority when it quotes officials urging Californians to stay alert and be ready for an even larger tempest arriving over the weekend. The author also uses inflammatory rhetoric by describing the storm as a 'back-to-back' event that will affect almost the whole state, which could create fear in readers.
We are in full preparation mode,
Bias
(10%)
The article is reporting on a storm that hit California and the potential for more to come. The author uses language that suggests the scale of disruption seen last winter was not expected with this current storm but also warns residents to stay alert and be ready for an even larger tempest arriving over the weekend.
This is about 6 inches of rain. Oh, my God. This is flooded.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
Jill Cowan has a conflict of interest on the topic of Atmospheric River as she is reporting for The New York Times which owns and operates several companies in California that may be affected by heavy rain caused by the atmospheric river.
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
Jill Cowan has a conflict of interest on the topic of Atmospheric River as she is reporting for The New York Times which may have financial ties to companies that are affected by the storm system.
