What the Dickens is an Atmospheric River?

We knew that California had been experiencing rogue weather conditions since before Christmas as we had been following news reports and first hand accounts from my bestie, Heather, who lives in Santa Clara. It was no real surprise that recent snow storms had led to park closures. What we had not anticipated was the massive flooding due to an Atmospheric River.

I had never even heard of an Atmospheric River. I was baffled. It sounded like an element card from a Kim Krans mystical oracle deck. I had to find out more.

I discovered an Atmospheric River is like a huge, invisible, out of control fire hose let loose in the sky. Long and skinny, uncontrollably spraying this way and that in a haphazard manner, dumping copious amounts of water in the region. The Atmospheric River in Tulare County led to serious flooding of the Kaweah River, Kings River and other rivers in the area. It was wet!

The Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park was closed.

Indefinitely.

The roads had been ruined by the floods caused by the Atmospheric River.

We have been to the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park twice before but we were all disappointed not to see the red giant trees, the magnificent views of the Sierra Nevadas from Moro and Beetle Rock and walk in the enchanting meadows. 

We drove up to the entrance of the National Park and we saw for ourselves the destruction of the floods and the snow on the mountain tops.