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How California Floods Are Tied to Ongoing Drought : Consider This from NPR Destructive flooding caused by torrential rains has created a deadly disaster in California. The death toll rivals the worst wildfires and points to a common cause for both: drought.

Brian Ferguson with California's Office of Emergency Services explains how a "weather whiplash" of dry years followed by heavy rain and snow can lead to dangerous outcomes. And NPR's Lauren Sommer reports on how officials are hoping to store more storm water as a way to prevent future floods and fight the ongoing drought.

In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

Consider This from NPR

How California's Deadly Floods Are Tied To The State's Ongoing Drought

How California's Deadly Floods Are Tied To The State's Ongoing Drought

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Local resident Fidel Osorio rescues a dog from a flooded home in Merced, California, on Tuesday. Relentless storms were ravaging California again Tuesday. Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images

Local resident Fidel Osorio rescues a dog from a flooded home in Merced, California, on Tuesday. Relentless storms were ravaging California again Tuesday.

Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images

Destructive flooding caused by torrential rains has created a deadly disaster in California. The death toll rivals the worst wildfires and points to a common cause for both: drought.

Brian Ferguson with California's Office of Emergency Services explains how a "weather whiplash" of dry years followed by heavy rain and snow can lead to dangerous outcomes. And NPR's Lauren Sommer reports on how officials are hoping to store more storm water as a way to prevent future floods and fight the ongoing drought.

In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

This episode was produced by Lee Hale, Kat Lonsdorf and Erika Ryan. It was edited by William Troop, Christopher Intagliata and Neela Banerjee. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.