From NOAA and the National Weather Service

. Collectively, the coupled ocean-atmosphere system reflected the onset of El Niño conditions.

The North American Multi-Model Ensemble (NMME) average, including the NCEP CFSv2 [Fig. 6], forecasts El Niño to intensify into the Northern Hemisphere winter 2026-27. High confidence in El Niño [Fig. 7] is also linked to anomalously high oceanic heat content and expanding westerly wind anomalies across the equatorial Pacific Ocean. There is a 63% chance of a very strong El Niño during November-January [Fig. 8] that would rank among the largest El Niño events in the historical record going back to 1950. Even very strong El Niño events do not lead to the expected impact everywhere, but stronger events can more significantly tilt the odds in favor of expected outcomes (see CPC outlooks for probabilities of seasonal anomalies). In summary, El Niño conditions are present and expected to strengthen into the Northern Hemisphere winter 2026-27.

This was taken after the last rains.

Date:        June 5, 2026 

District:     05 – Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz Counties 

Contact:    Nathalie Gomez, (TAMC)  

Phone:      (831) 775-4408                                                                                                   

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Road and Lane Closures Scheduled for June 7 – June 13, 2026  

NEWEST INFORMATION IS IN THE BOLD BLACK TEXT  

MONTEREY COUNTY – Here are the majorscheduled road and lane closures for Monterey County from Sunday, June 7, through Saturday, June 13 – newest information is in bold text.Please keep in mind that construction work is weather-dependent.

Highway 1: 1 Mile North of Point Sur Lighthouse – Point Sur Lighthouse: Long Term

One-way traffic controls will be in place along northbound and southbound Highway 1, beginning one mile north of the Point Sur Lighthouse and ending at the Point Sur Lighthouse for temporary signal slide work. Travelers may encounter a 15-minute delay.

Highway 1: Postmile 53.30 – Postmile 54.3: April – July

One-way traffic controls will be in place along southbound Highway 1 between Postmile 53.3 and Postmile 54.3 for slide and temporary signal work.

Highway 1: Fremont Blvd/California Avenue: June 6 – July 5

There will be full closure of the on ramp along southbound Highway 1 at Fremont Boulevard and California Avenue for roadway excavation work from 12 am to 12 pm.

Highway 1: San Luis Obispo County Line – Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge: June 8 – June 12

One-way traffic controls will be in place along northbound and southbound Highway 1 between San Luis Obispo County Line and Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge for sign work from 7 am to 6 pm. Travelers may encounter a 10-minute delay.

Highway 1: Little Sur River Bridge – Hurricane Point: June 9

One-way traffic controls will be in place along northbound and southbound Highway 1 between Little Sur River Bridge and Hurricane Point for emergency work from 10 am to 3 pm.

Highway 1: Rocky Creek Bridge – Rocky Creek Viaduct: May 29 – August 31

One-way traffic controls will be in place along northbound and southbound Highway 1 between Rocky Creek Bridge and Rocky Creek Viaduct for bridge work from 8 pm to 6 am.

Highway 1: Ventana Entrance – Nepenthe (North Entrance): June 8 – June 12

Alternating one-way traffic controls will be in place along northbound and southbound Highway 1 between Ventana Entrance and Nepenthe (North Entrance) for electrical work from 7 am to 5 pm.

Highway 1: Lower Walden Road – Fern Canyon/Corona Road: June 8 – June 10

One-way traffic controls will be in place along northbound and southbound Highway 1 between Lower Walden Road and FernCanyon/Corona Road for tree work from 9 am to 3 pm. Travelers may encounter a 5-minute delay.

Highway 1: Willow Spring-CT Maintenance Station – Los Burros Road: June 9

One-way traffic controls will be in place along northbound and southbound Highway 1 between Willow Springs-CT Maintenance Station and Los Burros Road for pavement repair from 7:30 am to 3:15 pm. Travelers may encounter a 15-minute delay.

Highway 1: Lime Creek Bridge – Dolan Creek Bridge: June 9

There will be one lane, bike lane, and right shoulder closure along northbound and southbound Highway 1 between Lime Creek Bridge and Dolan Creek Bridge for utility work from 8 am to 3 pm. Travelers may encounter a 10-minute delay.

Highway 1: 1 Mile South of Limekiln Creek – South end of Limekiln Creek Bridge: June 10

One-way traffic controls will be in place along northbound and southbound Highway 1 between 1 mile south of Limekiln Creek and the south end of Limekiln Creek Bridge for shoulder work from 8:15 am to 3:15 pm. Travelers may encounter a 15-minute delay.

Highway 1: Mud Creek – Gorda: June 11

One-way traffic control will be in place along northbound and southbound Highway 1 between Mud Creek and Gorda for pavement work from 8:15 am to 3:15 pm. Travelers may encounter a 15-minute delay.

Highway 1: Palo Colorado – Garrapata Ridge Road: June 11

There will be one lane, bike lane and right shoulder closure along northbound and southbound Highway 1 between Palo Colorado and Garrapata Ridge Road for utility work from 8 am to 3 pm. Travelers may encounter a 5-minute delay.

No campfires outside of designated campsites and day use areas listed in Appendix A below:

Matt Moberg

I think every human being 

eventually has a moment

where they are standing outside in sweatpants

that have lost the will to be pants,

holding a trash bag, a divorce, a parking ticket,

or some other receipt from the universe

that says, “surprise, this too is part of it.”

And then the sky bruises purple.

And the air touches your face

like it knows your whole story.

And suddenly you realize:

all the real is actually unreal.

The dirt.

The breath.

The weird little bones in your hands.

The fact that we are here,

on a floating rock with pollen counts,

paying bills,

missing dead people,

loving living people

who say “leaving now”

while still fully naked and looking for socks.

And still,

the moon clocks in.

No applause.

No benefits.

No note from management saying,

“Great work being ancient and luminous again.”

Just the moon,

working nights

like a single mother with no applause,

packing silver lunches

for every dark thing

that still has to rise.

Tell me that isn’t holy.

Tell me there is a better word

than sacred

for the way light keeps returning

with no guarantee

we will actually stop and take note.

I know people who believe in therapy,

probiotics,

tarot,

twelve-step meetings,

manifestation journals,

and waiting exactly eleven minutes

before texting back

so they do not appear emotionally available,

even though their whole nervous system

is standing in the driveway holding flowers.

And underneath all of it,

every ritual,

every doctrine,

every smoothie with chia seeds,

the prayer is the same:

Please let me be loved.

Please let me be forgiven.

Please let this strange little life

mean something

before my lower back

submits its formal resignation.

What is going on?

For real tho—What is this place?

This unbearable tenderness

of being alive long enough

to watch steam lift from coffee in winter

like a soul practicing leaving.

To see your friend laugh so hard

they slap the table

as if joy is a mosquito

they are trying to kill.

To hear a child say “pisghetti”

and, for one shining second,

realize language

has finally been improved.

I know I already noted this in the first piece,

but the older I get,

the less use I have for certainty.

Certainty has never made me pull over

because the sunset looked like God

dropped a jar of peach jam

across the whole midwestern sky

and decided to be lazy

and not clean up.

Certainty has never made me gasp

at rain on hot pavement.

Certainty has never found me

in the cereal aisle,

holding Captain Crunch,

suddenly remembering

that everyone I have ever loved

was made from stardust,

hunger,

and a series of decisions

we probably should have slept on.

No.

It has always been awe.

Awe was the first church.

Before steeples.

Before committees.

Before men got involved

and started making rules about skirts.

Awe was there

with its wild hair

and muddy feet,

saying:

Look.

Look again.

Look until looking

becomes love.

Awe, and soup.

Awe, and someone rubbing your back

when you are sick.

Awe, and old couples at Target

arguing gently about avocados,

as if marriage is not one vow

but ten thousand errands

performed beside the person

who knows exactly

how you like the cart pushed.

Maybe gratitude

was never meant to sound elegant.

Maybe gratitude sounds like:

“Damn.

That woodpecker is trying

to beat that tree from itself.”

Maybe gratitude sounds like:

“Thank you, body,

for continuing to drag me through this world

despite the many slim jims 

I have done to you

at gas stations.”

Maybe gratitude sounds like:

“Thank you to the dogs

who lose their entire minds

when we come home

as if we have returned from war

and not Walgreens.”

For me, that might be my gospel.

That joy that does not wait for us

to be impressive but only needs us

to come through the door.

Because the truth is,

this life is devastating.

And ridiculous.

One minute you are 22 and invincible,

driving too fast,

eating gas station nachos

with the confidence of a Greek god.

The next minute you are googling,

“Can sneezing cause a hamstring injury?”

and the answer is,

apparently,

“Welcome to the second half of your life.”

But even now—

even tired,

even grieving,

even emotionally held together

by iced coffee, playlists,

and one very specific wolves hoodie—

we keep finding reasons

to stay soft.

We plant tomatoes

even though grief is real.

We bake bread

even though the news is on fire.

We send photos of the sky

to people we love

with captions like,

“LOOK,”

as if beauty is an emergency

and we are all volunteer firefighters.

We keep saying,

“You have to see this,”

because wonder

is the oldest form

of resurrection.

So here’s to the believers

and the atheists

and the agnostics

and the people whose entire theology

is just trying not to cry

in the DMV line.

Here’s to the people clinging to faith.

Here’s to the people clinging to Xanax

and oat milk

and the one group chat

where nobody pretends to be okay.

Here’s to the tender-hearted weirdos.

The accidental mystics.

The ones who can contemplate mortality

for six straight hours

and then become emotionally attached

to a perfect peach.

The ones who know

despair has a mouth,

but so does laughter.

May we never stop being drop-kicked by beauty

in the middle of a Sunday afternoon.

May we never become so polished

that we forget how to stand

in the Starbucks line of existence

with our dumb, gorgeous hearts open,

feeling the enormity of it all

rattle around in our bones

like thunder

looking for somewhere to laugh.

And may we remember:

whatever else this is,

whatever mess,

whatever miracle,

whatever cosmic group project

no one was prepped for—

all’ve it is astonishing.

that we are here.

that we have loved enough to be ruined.

that the moon keeps showing up.

that bread exists.

So pass it on.

Tear off a piece

with your bare hands.

Take it in as you take it down. 

And then go outside and look at that moon.

Note: the current expectation is that this light will be active thru the 2028 Big Sur Marathon.

Date:	Tuesday, May 26, 2026
District:	05 – Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz Counties
Contact:	Kevin Drabinski or Ashton Harris
Phone:	(805) 549-3138 or (805) 549-3237

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TEMPORARY TRAFFIC SIGNALS TO ACTIVATE ON HIGHWAY 1

AT THE ROCKY CREEK BRIDGE ON FRIDAY, MAY 29

MONTEREY COUNTY – A temporary traffic signal system will be activated on Highway 1 at the Rocky Creek Bridge on Friday, May 29, at 6 am. The Rocky Creek Bridge is located 12 miles south of Carmel.

These signals will operate 24/7 and travelers can expect delays of up to 10 minutes.

This signal system is being activated in support of an Electrochemical Chloride Extraction (ECE) treatment project designed to extend the life of the bridge. Signals will be in place for the entirety of the project, which is now estimated to be complete by June 2028, weather permitting.

Prior to the activation of the temporary signals, travelers will encounter overnight one-way reversing traffic control with flaggers from 8 pm to 6 am starting Tuesday, May 26 thru Friday, May 29.

The Rocky Creek Bridge is experiencing active corrosion of the steel reinforcement due to the presence of chlorides in the concrete which cause degradation of the structural concrete elements.

Electrochemical Chloride Extraction treatment will restore the health of the bridge and extend the life of the bridge by halting the active corrosion of the steel reinforcement through the removal of chloride ions.

There will be permit load restrictions throughout the duration of the project. Wide and heavy loads are advised to contact Caltrans Permits Office prior to planned travel or plan an alternate route. Detours will not be posted or available.

Please note that due to weight restrictions resulting from the scaffolding being erected beneath the bridge structure, the signal will remain on during public events such as the 2026 and 2027 Monterey Car Week and the 2027 and 2028 Big Sur International Marathon.

Travelers are advised to give themselves extra time when travelling through the area.

Road information and updates can also be found on Caltrans District 5 Social Media platforms: Twitter at: CaltransD5, Facebook at: Caltrans Central Coast (District 5) and Instagram at: Caltrans_D5.

Our crews deserve to get home safely too.

Drive slowly and carefully in work zones.

CHP Traffic Incident Information Page: http://cad.chp.ca.gov

Traveler information at: https://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/

Not really a photo, but I like this.

Created by See Monterey. Slogan by Kate Daniels, Supervisor, 5th District

Monterey County Board of Supervisors Fact Sheet:

Bixby Bridge Parking Moratorium

Meeting Date: Tuesday, May 19

Topic: Proposed parking restrictions near Bixby Bridge in Big Sur

Board Actions Taken

• The Monterey County Board of Supervisors voted to move forward with a

12-month moratorium on parking in the immediate vicinity of Bixby Bridge.

• The motion passed 3-0, with Supervisors Chris Lopez and Luis Alejo

abstaining.

• County staff were directed to:

o Draft a temporary ordinance establishing parking restrictions.

o Return the ordinance to the board for at least two rounds of review

before implementation.

o Pursue required permits from Caltrans and Coastal Commission

process.

Implementation Status

• The parking ban is not yet in effect.

• No implementation date has been finalized.

• The original goal of implementing restrictions before Memorial Day

weekend was delayed due to:

o Permitting requirements

o Staffing needs

o Enforcement planning

Reasons Cited for the Action

County officials identified several concerns related to increased visitation and

congestion around Bixby Bridge, including:• Emergency vehicle access delays

• Traffic congestion affecting residents and commuters

• Illegal roadside and in-road parking

• Pedestrian safety concerns

• Increased tourism following the reopening of Highway 1 on Jan. 14

Tourism and Traffic Data Brought Forward in Board Referral

• Northbound traffic at Ragged Point reportedly increased by more than

900% year-over-year.

• Caltrans reported:

o Restaurant and retail guest counts up approximately 40% year-to-

date

o Peak weekends nearly doubling previous 2025 levels

Enforcement and Operational Considerations

Officials discussed several enforcement-related issues that still need resolution:

• Determining whether enforcement costs will be covered by the county, the

state, or both

• Preliminary estimates projected approximately $15,300 per month for one

CHP officer working weekends

• Additional enforcement options under consideration include:

o Monterey County Sheriff-based enforcement agreements

o Drone monitoring

Concerns Raised During Board Discussion

Some supervisors expressed concerns regarding:

• Potential legal issues involving California Coastal Commission regulations

• Whether a full parking ban could shift congestion into travel lanes

• The need for active enforcement to prevent unsafe roadside stopping

Next Steps

• County staff will prepare draft ordinance language.

• The ordinance will return to the Board of Supervisors for additional public

review and approval before any restrictions are implemented.

• Emergency Coastal Development Permit efforts will begin

• Caltrans permitting efforts will begin