On Sunday, Oct. 24, Northern California faced a huge “bomb cyclone” after a five year drought.

The “bomb cycle,” a huge, hurricane-like storm, forms when wind near the surface of the earth rises quickly, causing an abrupt drop in pressure which leads to the 50 mile-per-hour wind and relentless rain we saw on Sunday.

Lasting a full 24 hours, the rain in Sacramento measured up to 5.44 inches, breaking the previous record set in 1880 of 5.28 inches. Nothing in the past 141 years has even touched 4 inches.

The rain in just this one day has made up for the drought that California has suffered through for the past year.

“Over the course of just 24 hrs, Sac Exec Ap received 81.9% of the total precip from the entire 2020 – 2021 water year,” The Sacramento Bee said.

This bomb cyclone has resulted in many mudslides, flooding, and power outages throughout California.

In the Bay Area, 10,000 people remained without power as trees and power lines were entangled and fell over. 

Cars were also stranded in wide-spread flooding, causing many roads to shut down. 

Debris flowed through flooded parts which led to fear of evacuation.

However, the storm ceased by the next Monday morning, Oct. 25.

Though frightening and dangerous, this rain did restore the previously rain-deprived and fire-scarred areas of California. Citizens are able to remember this as a gift in disguise.