Winter sports put on hold as valley deals with above average rainfall

The current stormy weather in California causes detrimental effects on the inhabitants, including students. At least 17 victims were trapped and killed by the incessant flooding and around 130,000 people lost power. The extraneous weather led Governor Gavin Newson to issue an emergency declaration. According to The Fresno Bee,

According to The Fresno Bee, the Fresno Yosemite International Airport rain gauge shows that Fresno is experiencing triple the amount of rain than average for Jan., with 3.9 inches by Jan. 16.

A winter storm torments the Sierra Summit from the Sierra Nevadas all the way to Tulare County, with an expected 3-6 feet of snow. Montecito undergoes an evacuation order on the five-year anniversary of a mudslide which killed 23 people on Jan. 9, 2018. The coast faces catastrophe as Capitola’s town is overwhelmed with water, causing extreme destruction and at least two deaths.

 

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Roger Bales, a water and climate engineer, puts the situation in perspective: California usually secures 25% of its yearly rain and snowfall in surface reservoirs. In comparison, the last two weeks the reservoirs are at 40% capacity. Only two to three more storms will fill the reservoirs to maximum capacity.

The Central Valley remains under flood watch, leaving the urban areas at the greatest risk. The excessive rain places Fresno County under a state of emergency.

Fresno Christian’s campus is affected by the weather as well, undergoing leakage issues with the portables, which hosts the math classes. The fields for  high school and middle school sports are flooded, resulting in games and practices being canceled.

Matt Markarian, girls’ soccer team coach, clarifies that every issue will be properly handled. Once the rain stops the leakage from the math building’s roof will be fixed. Ingenuity must occur for outside sports to continue their seasons.

“It has forced us indoors to try and train, we have only been outside a couple time in the last few weeks,” Markarian said. “So getting good training is tough, we are making the best of it though.”

In response to the complications, Jonathan Penberthy, the Athletics director, stated the soccer games are continued to be rescheduled as more rain pushes back the dates.

To read more from The Feather, go to Varsity cheer places third in first competition or Moving Forward: God in the unexpected.