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Asked by: Rizwana Sanguña
news and politics disastersWhat series of events caused the 1997 New Year's flood?
The unusual series of back-to-back warm storms, known as the Pineapple Express, that hit northern and central California at the end of 1996 and beginning of 1997 caused the worst flood in the state since 1955.
Likewise, how often do floods occur in California each year?
"Geologic evidence shows that truly massive floods, caused by rainfall alone, have occurred in California about every 200 years.
| Lithograph of K Street in the city of Sacramento, California, during the Great Flood of 1862 | |
|---|---|
| Date | December 1861 – January 1862 |
| Location | Oregon, Nevada, California, Idaho, Arizona, Idaho, New Mexico, Sonora, Mexico |
Likewise, when was the last flood in California?
December 1861 – January 1862: California's Great Flood Beginning on December 24, 1861, and lasting for 45 days, the largest flood in California's recorded history occurred, reaching full flood stage in different areas between January 9–12, 1862.
Most of California is vulnerable to floods. Every county has been declared a flood disaster area multiple times. And storms commonly cause local urban flooding because inadequate drainage systems and impermeable surfaces—such as streets and parking lots—allow stormwater to pond quickly and deeply.