Spotting it isn't really the problem - there's still nothing you can do about it. Anything we could try to do would be like trying to stop a blizzard in Chicago

Spotting it isn't really the problem - there's still nothing you can do about it. Anything we could try to do would be like trying to stop a blizzard in Chicago with hair dryers. Even if you can't spot it you do have time to get out (it's not like all of the rain happens in 24 hours), but the consequences of something like this happening now in California would be enormous for the whole country just on the basis of food. In the 1860's most food was (relatively) local, but these days California actually produces something more than a quarter of the US food supply (quick googling gives widely varying numbers without any attribution, research is up to you), particularly fresh fruits and vegetables. Imagine the Central Valley losing an entire year or more of growing season, probably with the loss of a significant percentage of fruit & nut trees that take years to replace. The ripple effect through the rest of the economy would be ugly.