5:00 pm update. Extra Dog Food? Check. Extra Gas? Check. Extra People Food? Check. Books, movies, work. All hunkered in and ready to ride it out. It is 50 degrees outside, but feels much colder due to the wind chill factor. I have moved my digital thermometer to make it more accessible at night, at least for the coming events. Otherwise, the only real changes to what has already been forecast, is the possibility of a few showers tonight, in some areas. Let me know if you get any. Keep your eye on the sky, NOAA weather alerts, and on the road and streams for possible mudslides. If you haven’t stocked up, anticipated power outages, and stream blockages, please do so tomorrow. And don’t forget your pets!
I am busy preparing for the next series of storms, the first, mild one to hit tomorrow. Here is a IR satellite map of the US.
And here is one of the Pacific:
And this link shows a fascinating animated look at the storms up to 180 hours out: storm surfing
Here is the weather watch from NWS for the Santa Lucia Mountains and the Los Padres National Forest:
THE FIRST OF THE MORE SIGNIFICANT SYSTEMS IS FORECAST TO SPREAD RAIN INTO OUR AREA STARTING LATE ON SUNDAY AND CONTINUING THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON. THIS SYSTEM COULD PRODUCE UP TO 3 INCHES OF NEW RAINFALL FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS AND 1-2 INCHES FOR THE VALLEYS.
AFTER A BRIEF BREAK ON MONDAY NIGHT THE NEXT IN THE SERIES IS EXPECTED TO SPREAD MORE RAIN INTO OUR AREA THROUGHOUT THE DAY TUESDAY AND INTO TUESDAY EVENING. AN ADDITIONAL 2-4 INCHES OF RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS WITH 1-2 INCHES FOR THE VALLEYS.
A SECOND BREAK IS EXPECTED TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING BEFORE THE NEXT AND MOST POWERFUL SYSTEM OF THE WEEK APPROACHES DURING THE DAY WEDNESDAY. THIS SYSTEM COULD LINGER WEILL INTO THURSDAY. TOTALS FOR THIS SYSTEM COULD REACH 3-5 INCHES OR MORE FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS AND 1-3 FOR THE VALLEYS. AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH SHOWERS COULD PERSIST WELL INTO FRIDAY. ALSO OF NOTE.. A VERY POWERFUL JET STREAM IS FORECAST TO BE OVER CALIFORNIA BY THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK WHILE A DEEP SURFACE LOW IS POSITIONED OFF THE WASHINGTON COAST. THIS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE VERY STRONG WINDS AND HIGH WIND WARNINGS MAY BE NEEDED.
BY THE END OF THE WEEK AHEAD…TOTAL RAINFALL COULD REACH 10-15 INCHES AT THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR UP TO 20 INCHES IN THE WETTEST LOCATIONS. IN THE VALLEYS…4-8 INCHES.
Is it cold enough to snow Kate?
What are you doing to prepare for the forecasted biggy on Tuesday? I’m making sure the drains around the roof and the ground around the pipe bases are clear. Buying food that can be eaten without propane stove and I should get a couple water jugs. I have plenty of candles and matches and firewood – need some newspaper to help start fires though. Plus I have that stack of unread books ready for my attention. Anything else?
The creek’s going to love this influx!
Z-Reports on snow are conflicting, although all agree the Sierras could get hit pretty hard.
Ani, I am doing my usual — extra gas, 2 extra bags of dog food, extra people food, books, a spare 5 gal. propane, just in case. Nothing much, just doubling up on most stuff. Being “off the grid” during these events has a lot of advantages. I am already pretty set, just getting a little more so, in case it runs for longer than predicted. I will worry about the wind, which will bring trees down, blocking my road.
We start having problems with propane around -60°F. We have warmed up to -30°F this morning.
Hope the rain is moderate and the hillsides stay where they belong. Take care.