From atmospheric river to tornadoes to nor'easter, extreme weather strikes coast to coast
CBSN
In a matter of days, the weather pattern has shifted from weeks of calm to one of the most dynamic fall patterns in memory. And while autumn is known for its wild swings, the pattern right now is literally off the charts, with the Northeast Pacific experiencing both its strongest and third-strongest storms on record in a matter of just 72 hours.
On Sunday, a wicked atmospheric river unleashed more than a foot of rain in parts of California, while a separate system spawned numerous strong tornadoes on Sunday night in the nation's middle. That same system will become yet another bomb cyclone — with hurricane-force wind gusts possible — for the Northeast coast on Tuesday.
All three of these systems have amazed meteorologists and, not surprisingly, are consistent with what climate scientists expect from a warming planet.
