Train Derailment In Alameda County Due To El Niño Weather

Mother Nature is beautiful and she can also be very destructive. This year she is pissed off, so she brought us El Niño. El Niño has brought floods, strong winds, rain down pours and mudslides to California with a vengeance. Mother Nature is so unforgiving.

On Tuesday March 8, 2016 the last commuter ACE train No. 10 was headed from San Jose to Stockton, with stops in Fremont, Pleasanton, Livermore, Vasco, Tracy and Lathrop. The 214 passengers on board were traveling home after a long work day in the San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale and Mt. View areas. Probably thinking what they were going to have for dinner, how was the family and how they had to do this again tomorrow. Little did they know they would be in a train derailment? The train was traveling on the Altamont pass between Fremont and Pleasanton.Then all of a sudden the lead train car hits a mudslide derails and falls into the Alameda Creek 1 mile west of Sunol. The second train car is also derailed but not into the creek. Out of the 214 passengers on board, it’s a miracle no one was killed. Nine people were hurt. Four people suffered serious injuries and five people suffered minor injuries. The passengers on board who weren’t hurt showed compassion and courage. By helping their fellow passenger escape the derailed train. It was first thought that a down tree or human error caused the derailment. Upon further investigation the cause was a mudslide on the tracks.

El Niño Weather is truly here, some people are already complaining about it. California needs all the rain El Niño is bringing and then some. So all you who are complaining stop it, could get worse.

LM

http://www.kcra.com/news/officials-mudslide-likely-caused-train-derailment-in-alameda-county/38398440#comments

http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_29613003/ace-train-derailment-passengers-recount-harrowing-night-fear?source=infinite-up

The Beginning of El Niño Is In Northern California

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Well it’s about time the rain is here! As I sit here looking out at the rain. It reminded me of the Dramatics song “I Wanna Go Outside In The Rain”. This is some good sleeping weather. San Jose is getting thunder and lightning with a steady down pour of rain, we so desperately need. Yes, the start of El Niño is here in Northern California. I have heard of El Niño over the years but I did not really know how came about. Well forensic meteorologist Jan Null is the founder of the Saratoga-based Golden Gate Weather Services consulting firm. He first encountered El Niño in 1982 and again in 1997. Null says, "El Niño, very simply, is a periodic warming of the tropical waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean," he explained. "That warming water influences some global weather patterns, and with the exception of the seasons. El Niño is probably the single most influential weather factor that happens on the planet." He also goes on to say, "The bottom line is it's a very strong El Niño. The stronger it is, the more it tilts to a wet winter in California in general," Null said. "The signal is less confident in Northern California, but as El Niño gets stronger the odds increase because a stronger El Niño pushes the boundary between at normal and above normal rainfall farther north." What does this mean for Northern and Southern California it could defiantly help with the drought situation? It is going to be mudslides and flooding in some areas in California because of all of the wild fires. Everyone get ready for a wet winter. For all you commuters slow down and take your time the streets and highways are slick.
LM
 http://www.mercurynews.com/los-gatos/ci_29072774/saratoga-los-gatos-meet-csi-weather-forecaster?source=infinite-up