In a matter of days, California went from extreme drought to heavy rainfall. The relentless storms unleashed dangerous flooding and mudslides, caused power outages, and killed at least seventeen people since late December.
90% of the state’s population was under a flood watch as another weather system slammed into Northern California in just days. The quick and intense back-to-back atmospheric rivers made it challenging for infrastructure to contain the overwhelming amount of water. Many communities were left cut off and inaccessible.
Positioning WCK teams in Northern and Southern California, we traveled the affected areas with sandwiches in hand to understand how we could best support. Additionally, we connected with local partners to begin providing nourishing meals in the hard-hit communities we identified and later established a WCK Relief Kitchen in Merced to expand capacity.
What’s Happening
Over the course of several weeks, California received 400% to 600% above-average rainfall totals. The rain is brought in from atmospheric rivers which are long, narrow flowing streams of water vapor. They form when winds from the Pacific gather moisture from the band of warm, moist air over the tropics. As the atmospheric river moves upward over mountains, the water vapor cools, condenses, and falls as heavy rain or snow.
These storms are typical in California and provide much of the water used throughout the year. However, when they are intense, move rapidly, or come in a wave, they do more harm than good, dumping too much water, too fast. Soils were saturated from the recent storms, leading to floods and landslides that were overflowing creeks and rivers, threatening infrastructure, and isolating communities.
It is possible that global warming contributed to the situation in California. Warmer air can hold more moisture resulting in the likelihood of storms being extremely wet and intense.
By the numbers
Meals served
Recipient Groups
Restaurant Partners
WCK Relief Kitchen
Chefs For California
WCK Relief Kitchen & local partners cook for impacted communities
Holly & Jessica
Holly & Jessica
Holly & Jessica are volunteers at the Lions Club Food Bank in Three Rivers, CA. The organization is the only community service that provides food twice a month to a 120 low income & senior residents. WCK’s Mario met Holly & Jessica after we supported the Lions Clubs efforts to provide more food product as people prepared for another incoming storm.
Chefs Marcos & Mateo
Chefs Marcos & Mateo
Pescadero—a small farming community south of Half Moon Bay—was without power for more than a week. To help families here, WCK partnered with Taqueria La Gallina where Chefs Marcos & Mateo are preparing hundreds of meals!
Trina & Mindy
Trina & Mindy
When WCK teams first reach communities impacted by disasters, we ensure that we come with sandwiches in hand for anyone in need! We met Trina & Mindy in Felton, CA as they were helping neighbors clean up following the latest set of intense storms.
