"Last night a microcell hit around 2 a.m. and we heard these amazingly loud noises and it was raining heavy redwood branches on our roof..."

This was just one of hundreds of accounts of close calls amid the violent winds, torrents, mudslides and flash floods accompanying the barrage of atmospheric rivers hitting California, with more coming through January.

You're hearing Deirdre Des Jardins, an independent analyst and advocate for sustainable California water policy, describing the scene as hurricane-force gusts swept the mountains above Santa Cruz, California.

As of Tuesday, January 10, authorities have reported 14 deaths and damage estimates are already topping $1 billion.

Listen to the full convesration here with journalist Erica Gies, whose new book "Water Always Wins" is all too aptly titled, and Dustin Mulvaney, a professor in environmental studies at San Jose State University.
   • Live Expert Briefing as the West Coas...  

Explore context on my Sustain What post on the tempests:
https://revkin.substack.com/p/califor...

Deirdre is on Twitter at @flowinguphill