Sometimes, I feel like the NWS — only with photos!
Today, Friday, 12/19/08: A Hazardous Weather statement has been issued for next week. It reads pretty much the same as yesterday’s statement, which is reproduced below.
Thursday, 12/18/08 – This out this afternoon about a system shaping up for next week. Pay close attention. Floods, mud, and debris flow could be in the making.
AND BIG SUR COAST- 123 PM PST THU DEC 18 2008 ...STORMY WEATHER WITH HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS POSSIBLE FOR THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY PERIOD FROM TUESDAY INTO EARLY FRIDAY...A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE WEATHER PATTERN APPEARS TO BE SHAPING UP AS EARLY AS TUESDAY OF NEXT WEEK. THE PACIFIC JET STREAM WILL SHIFT FARTHER SOUTH...TAPPING INTO SUB-TROPICAL MOISTURE. SNOW LEVELS WILL RISE TO OVER 6000 FEET AS A CONTINUOUS STREAM OF PACIFIC MOISTURE SLAMS INTO NORTHERN AND CENTRAL CALIFORNIA. THIS MAY CONTINUE AT LEAST THROUGH THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. AS THE START OF THIS PATTERN CHANGE IS STILL FIVE DAYS AWAY ...THERE IS SOME FORECAST UNCERTAINTY REGARDING THE STRENGTH AND TIMING OF THIS STORM SYSTEM. HOWEVER...THERE IS INCREASING CONFIDENCE THAT A PERIOD OF WARMER...VERY WET AND WINDY WEATHER WILL DEVELOP. IF THIS OCCURS THERE WOULD BE A THREAT OF URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING...AS WELL AS MUD SLIDES AND DEBRIS FLOWS OVER BURN SCARRED AREAS FROM THIS PAST SUMMER`S FIRES. PERSONS IN MONTEREY AND SANTA CRUZ COUNTIES WHO ARE NEAR THE BURN AREAS SHOULD PAY VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THIS DEVELOPING SITUATION SINCE IT APPEARS THAT HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE IN BOTH AREAS. IN ADDITION TO THE HEAVY RAINFALL POTENTIAL...VERY WINDY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD ESPECIALLY ALONG THE COAST AND HIGHER ELEVATIONLOCATIONS. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECAST...STATEMENTS AND WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AS WE APPROACH THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY TRAVEL PERIOD.