Day: March 23, 2011

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK

Up here, heavy hail, sleet, rain, slush, whatever it is, it is nasty. I’ll insert a photo of my window here:

Back door, 3/23/11

but first, here is an announcement from the Office of Emergency Services!

From the Monterey County Office of Emergency Services

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR MONTEREY COUNTY

MARCH 23, 2011

1. Over the past few days Monterey County has experienced periods of heavy rain, high winds and high surf. As a result the upcoming weather system, expected to arrive in Monterey County early Thursday, March 24, 2011 will result in the issuance of several weather statements. A High Wind Advisory will be in effect from 1100 hours until 2200 hours and will be in effect for the entire coast, moving inland to the ridgelines as the day progresses. Sustained winds will reach 25-35 MPH with gusts 45 MPH, and may be even stronger over the hills. Due to the already saturated ground conditions, hazards such as downed trees and power lines may be expected. An Urban Small Stream Flooding Advisory will be in effect from daybreak, approximately 0700 hours with 2” – 2 ½” of intense rainfall expected with this weather system. Flooding in low lying areas, small streams and creeks is possible.

2. The major rivers within Monterey County are being monitored by the Monterey County Water Resources Agency and public safety agencies and are currently below flood monitoring stage at this time with the exception of the Salinas River in Soledad at the Highway 101 Bridge area, where it is expected to crest at 20’ at midnight tonight. If you are in the area you are advised to follow the advice of public safety officials, and if at all possible, stay out of the area all together.

3. The weather system will have periods of heavy downpours and there is a chance of thunderstorms throughout the day. Due to the ground saturation and strong winds in the Santa Lucia Mountains mud/debris slides are also possible.

4. Stay aware of your local conditions, drive with extreme caution and follow the instructions of your local public safety officials. Be prepared should power outages occur. Watch for weather updates.

DAVID L. KRAUSS
INTERIM EMERGENCY SERVICES MANAGER

I have a photo of the funnel out over the ocean today that Kirsty Sullivan sent me to share (THANK YOU KITSTY!), but I haven’t been able to download the whole thing. I’ve asked for smaller copies.

Report on meeting with Cal-Trans about closure

Today, members of the community, and various agencies met over the Rocky Creek Closure, and this is what was discussed:

CHP will be on site 24/7 starting today so no foot traffic until further notice. There will be another meeting on the 29th at 1:00 p.m. and a decision on foot traffic will be made then.

Road issues – Steve B (not Steve Price) is now the project manager and reports directly to Steve Price. He said that rain will not stop work. He also said that the slide is on an ancient slide site and they are going to try to stabilize what’s left and build from there. They are going to start drilling a nail wall on the 24th and they have two drill rigs working. Butch Kronlund asked why they couldn’t cut into the east side of the hill and Steve said that it wouldn’t be prudent because of this being an ancient slide site. Cal Trans wants to have pedestrian traffic as soon as they think that it’s safe. Two crews will be working daylight hours when they are drilling the vertical soil nails and double shifts will be working when they drill horizontal soil nails. AMR cannot walk patients across or gurney them across until it is safe. All nails need to be installed before they will allow any foot traffic. They have 250 soil nails that need to be drilled. Cal Trans wants to get this project done in a safe and timely manner and they are very committed to this.

Cal Trans is also talking long term solutions. Steve said that a lot of studies and research need to be done. Some of the alternatives that were mentioned was a large scale wall (probably not) a viaduct which would be substantial in length or a permanent bridge.

So, there you have it. As up-to-date as I can make it.

Slide at or south of Gorda?

3:00 pm – just got a report from a local who went through the slide. It is, as I suspected, at Mud Creek. It is active, Cal-Trans is working it, and they do have one lane open at this time.

This is what is posted on the CHP website. Gorda says not there, so I suspect it is the infamous Mud Creek a mile or so south. That is the area I posted the photos of from last night, and the area I have been covering for the entire winter – actually, back to last year some time.

2:04PM 1039 TEMPLETON CHP OFFICE
2:04PM 1039 CALTRANS DIST 5
2:02PM 1039 SAN LUIS
2:00PM LINE 1 WAS GIVEN TO MTY COM FROM MIDCOAST FIRE BRIGADE
2:00PM SLIDE 1125 SB LANE

Weather/Road Reports, 3/23/11

1:00 pm – This update just received from Cal-Trans. (Ed. note: the contractor awarded the temporary repair is the same one working on the permanent repair down at Dani Creek near Lucia, a similar slip out.)
(1) Due to severe roadway damage to the southbound lane, a 2-mile section of Hwy. 1 at Rocky Creek (Post Mile
60.5) continues to be closed in both directions. The closure is north of Big Sur from the Bixby Creek Bridge to Palo Colorado Road, south of Carmel. This barricaded closure is for all travel including emergency vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists.

• Crews assessing the roadway have tentatively determined that, at the earliest, it will be nearly one month for a temporary repair to occur. Inclement weather and geologic instability continue to be a factor in roadwork progress.
• Condon Johnson & Associates of Oakland is the contractor for this $2.5 million emergency project and is currently mobilizing for the temporary repair. Drill rigs are on site and getting assembled while material for drilling vertical and horizontal soil nails in order to stabilize the remaining roadway section are arriving. This site is an active construction and the slope is still unstable so the roadway is unsafe for public access.
• All businesses along the coast on Hwy. 1 remain open directly and are directly accessible from the south. For access from the north, alternate routes include Highways 101, 68 and 46.
• More rain is expected in the Monterey Bay Area through the weekend.
• CHP is on site to secure the slide area and ensure safety for the public.
• Continuous updates will be provided as more information becomes available and/or conditions change.

I don’t repeat rumors (and there are a few of those flying as our isolation extends) , but I did hear from a reliable source that one or more locals created some problems at the closure yesterday. Let’s be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

11:30 am – there is a report of a slide at the bottom of Nacimiento-Fergusson Rd. However, it is possible to get past it at this time.

11:00 am – short but intense hail storm. Have received numerous reports that the road between Cambria and Big Sur is hanging tough, thanks to a wonderful Cal-Trans crew. Several people report making it through with no major difficulties.

9:30 am – I slept in after the storm kept me up much of the night. I woke to banshee winds around 2 am, and couldn’t get back to sleep until my my bed stopped rocking and rolling. It was howling! My son sent me some shots of the road south last night, so I’ll post those now. There are three of them. Pretty knarly out there!

**FLASH FLOOD WATCH***

Lots of emails to check and news to post but here are the photos taken this morning on the south end of our road.

Mud Creek or Alder Creek area, 3/23/11, by Brendon Shave

North Bound lane, 3/23/11, by Brendon Shave

Center of Highway, looking South, 3/23/11, by Brendon Shave

Okay, that’s it for this morning’s photos. I am getting a few questions and it is much easier to answer them here, so all will know, rather than individually. Friend came over Nacimiento-Fergusson Rd this morning through base, all quiet and cleared, so that route is good. As to number to call for Cal-Trans re getting a foot path open, I would suggest the PIO Colin Jones. 805-549-3189. While I used to have (and may still) Steve Price’s number, a) I can’t find it, and b) I’m not authorized to give it out. Lastly, have heard nothing re road to the south, which is good news.

NOAA discussion: “AS OF 9:02 AM PDT WEDNESDAY…A FRONT HAS PASSED OVER THE FORECAST AREA THIS MORNING AND RESULTED IN PERIODS OF HIGH WIND AND MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN. MANY RIVERS AND STREAMS DID RESPOND TO THIS RAIN BUT REMAIN WELL BELOW FLOOD STAGE. … THE LARGEST THREAT FROM THESE STORMS
WILL BE SCATTERED MODERATE TO HEAVY SHOWERS THROUGHOUT THE DAY TODAY. THESE SCATTERED MODERATE TO HEAVY SHOWERS WILL RESULT IN ADDITIONAL PONDING ON THE ROADS AND PERIODS OF RISES IN THE RIVERS AND STREAMS.

MODEL SOLUTIONS ARE INDICATING THAT A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM
CURRENTLY LOCATED IN THE GULF OF ALASKA WILL RAPIDLY SLIDE
SOUTHEAST INTO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA THURSDAY EVENING. A SIGNIFICANT JET MAX…110 TO 120 KT…WILL ACCOMPANY THE SURFACE FRONT AND PRODUCE ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FOR THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL CALIFORNIA COAST. SOME OF THE SHOWERS WILL BE HEAVY AT TIMES. AFTER THE PAST FEW DAYS THE SOIL IS QUITE SATURATED AND RIVERS AND STREAMS WILL SEE A RAPID RESPONSE TO ANY ADDITIONAL PRECIPITATION.”

Let’s stay safe today!