Month: February 2014

Flash Flood Watch now thru Saturday Morning for Big Sur

SANTA LUCIA MOUNTAINS AND LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST- SOUTHERN MONTEREY BAY AND BIG SUR COAST-
139 PM PST FRI FEB 28 2014

..FLASH FLOOD WATCH NOW IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING…

THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR

* A PORTION OF CALIFORNIA…INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS… SANTA LUCIA MOUNTAINS AND LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST AND SOUTHERN MONTEREY BAY AND BIG SUR COAST.

* THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING

* 24 HOUR RAINFALL TOTALS SO FAR AT SITES IN THE SANTA LUCIA MOUNTAINS HAVE REACHED SEVERAL INCHES, WITH MANY LOCATIONS NOW EXCEEDING 3 INCHES. CONTINUED RAINFALL OF SEVERAL ADDITIONAL INCHES IS EXPECTED THROUGH TODAY AND INTO THE FIRST HALF OF SATURDAY. TOTAL RAINFALL AND RAINFALL RATES MAY BE HIGH ENOUGH TO ENGENDER FLASH FLOODING IN SMALL CREEKS AND DEBRIS FLOWS IN SATURATED…STEEPER TERRAIN.

* OF PARTICULAR CONCERN IS THE PFEIFFER FIRE BURN SCAR AND SYCAMORE CANYON AND OTHER LOCAL DRAINAGES WITHIN THE BURN SCAR PERIMETER. EXCESSIVE RAINFALL MAY HAVE A HIGHER LIKELIHOOD OF PRODUCING DEBRIS FLOWS AND SLIDES IN THIS AREA. EXTRA CAUTION AND PREPAREDNESS IS RECOMMENDED.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING AND OR LOCALIZED DEBRIS FLOWS AND SLOPE INSTABILITY. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.

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Storm Report, 2/28/14

10:00 pm – I’m signing off for the evening. Thus far, I recorded 2.44″ since midnight. Winds are up a bit, again, but nothing like last night. Stay warm, stay dry, and sleep well.

And this is what we have to look forward to tomorrow – at least predicted!

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2:00 pm – thunder and lightning just started. Wind howling again, and up to almost 2″ thus far? Rain rate 2.67″/hour. Whoa, Nellie! Up to 5.14″/hour! Unbelievable! Here comes that 7-8″

20140228-133553.jpgHere is the most recent satellite. Compare it to the last one.

Noon – no rain at the moment, winds calming down, gusts only to 10 mph. Whew! It is time for a nap!

11:00 am – 1.5″ Del Venturi Rd in Ft Hunter Liggett closed. Road still open to Cambria, so far.

20140228-104933.jpg10:00 am – 1.2″, sustained winds of 30 mph. Water spouts off Point Sur per NWS. Lots of fun! 38 degrees and dropping!

9:00 am – road conditions – slide JNO of Garrapata Bridge and Traffic Hazard at Soberanes Point of unknown type. I’m willing to get there are other, unreported as yet problems.

8:00am – Winds gusted to 71 mph this am. Rain totals sitting edging up on 8/10ths, dogs went out during a break in the rain, only to be caught in a down pour. Lid blew off the wood box outside, taking a railing with it, despite being secured. Raining cats and dogs at the moment, at the rate of 2″ per hour. Big, big tree blocking Plaskett per my neighbor, and that’s just the first one. Missy and Dakota got into a dog fight with blood and a torn ear. So, how is your morning going? Add your storm stories this am.20140228-103956.jpg

Get ready, folks! 7-8″ possible

8:45 pm – home safe. Neighbor cut through large downed oak so I could get home. The wind is singing to me, beginning to sound like it might turn into a chorus, soon. Should be a fun night for those of us who are ready and hunkered down. I am.

MOVING ONTO RAINFALL ACCUMULATION…FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON…MOST VALLEY LOCATIONS WILL SEE BETWEEN AN INCH TO TWO INCHES OF RAIN…WITH THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS RECEIVING BETWEEN 2 AND 3 INCHES OF RAIN. HOWEVER…THIS WILL NOT BE THE CASE FOR THE BIG SUR COAST AS WELL AS THE SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS. THE SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAIN ARE FORECAST TO RECEIVE BETWEEN 3 AND 4 INCHES OF RAIN…WITH THE BIG SUR COAST RECEIVING BETWEEN 4 AND 6 INCHES OF RAIN. IT IS NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION THAT A FEW ISOLATED
AREAS ALONG THE BIG SUR COAST AND SANTA LUCIA MOUNTAINS MAY RECEIVE BETWEEN 7 AND 8 INCHES OF RAIN. FLASH FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE ALONG THE BIG SUR COAST FROM LATE TONIGHT UNTIL FRIDAYNIGHT.

BSMAAC meeting postponed

Dear MAAC members,
Based on the storm forecast of heavy winds and up to 6” of rain expected on the Big Sur coast late tonight into tomorrow morning, the MAAC meeting has been cancelled for Friday, Feb. 28th and rescheduled for Friday, March 7th at 10:00 am. Thank you for your understanding and I will look forward to seeing you next week.

Kathleen Lee
Chief of Staff for
Supervisor Dave Potter
(831) 647-7755

Now that the meeting I had come off the hill for is canceled, my blood test done, I think I’m going to make a run for it, with a stop for groceries and gas, propane and lunch in Big Sur! Smart to get back up my hill before the big one hits! Bigsurkate

Rain is here!

4:00 – This is Dave Allen’s take on these storms. Wind advisory start now!

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Sweet! Look what’s coming:

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1:30 – wind advisory just issued.

1:00 pm – in town. Rained on and off most of the way here, but hasn’t been any rain in town for last hour. At Jeep dealer, as it won’t go into Low Range, even though all of that was serviced a month ago! I’m not a happy camper, as it is impossible to come DOWN Plaskett in the mud without 4x4low. Did make it this am because I left early, it hadn’t rained but .2″ so not too muddy. Only slid 3 times!!

Sycamore Canyon closed to all but residents. PG & E warning about possible outages due to high winds and downed trees. Treat all downed wires as live, but you all know the drill. Be safe everyone!

7:30 am – It arrived at 7:25, earlier than expected. I was planning on getting out of here around 10, now, I may want to make that a bit earlier! It is currently raining at the rate of .22″ per hour. Watch for updates through out the day, but I will be traveling north, so updates will be sporadic.

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