California Faces 'Thousand-Year' Storms and State of Emergency

Climate Change, El Niño, and Seasonal Patterns Contribute to Severe Flooding in Southern California

Fast-moving storms have caused severe flooding in parts of Ventura, Los Angeles, and San Diego counties, prompting Gov. Gavin Newsom to declare states of emergency.
The storms have been described as 'thousand-year events', with one storm drenching San Diego with more rain in a few hours than the area typically sees in all of January.
Experts warn that El Niño, climate change, and seasonal patterns have made such storms more likely to occur.
The storms have caused significant damage, with hundreds of people displaced in San Diego and potentially up to 100 homes uninhabitable due to flood damage.
Despite the recent storms, this winter's rainfall has been less than last year's, with the South Coast region receiving 74% of average precipitation for the period.