I thought it would be fun to look back one year, as we go through today’s big storm to remind ourselves of what we have faced.

The first one  is Paul’s Slide on the evening of 1/8/17, photo by Brendon Shave. The rest are all from exactly one year ago, sent to me by a variety of people, including Brendon. Can’t say whose is whose now, a year later, except the first one. This is what can, and did happen.

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And Tony’s (worked in the store in Lucia Lodge at the time) comment on the Paul’s Slide photo:

Awesome shot and even more awesome that you went down there to do this, dude! Thank you!
I’m off the next four days, but I’m sure I’ll use this photo often in the future when I’m asked such questions as:
“Why is the road closed?”
What I want to say: To prevent you from driving into a landslide where you’d get anything from a flat tire to dying in another landslide.
What I will say: Look at this picture.
“Can I go through anyway?”
My facial expression: o.O
What I want to say: The barricades are there to give you a nice safe place to turn around before you drive another 1/4 mile into a landslide where you’d get anything from a flat tire to dying in another landslide.
What I will say: Look at this picture!
“When will the road open?”
My expression: o.O
What I want to say: (or in this case, do) smf and smh
What I will say: LOOK at this PICTURE!
“Why weren’t there any signs before we drove all the way down?”
You guessed in; My expression: o.O
What I want to say: Hhhhmmmm…. uuummmm….. because this isn’t an amusement park, so our landslides aren’t timed and on hydraulics to remove them after your ‘thrill ride’ is done?
What I will say: LOOK AT THIS PICTURE!!

Brought to you by our local meteorologists at NWS. Please note Big Sur: 4-6”

Photo by Dan Danbom of Six Pines taken several years ago – before the Soberanes Fire and before the bridge out and before the Mud Creek slide…all the before times of 2016-2017.

Oh boy … hold on to your knickers…

“The next storm system is on track for Monday with an approaching upper level trough interacting with subtropical moisture to bring moderate to heavy rain and gusty winds to the area. Rain is expected to begin along the coast early Monday morning, with the
heaviest rains associated with the frontal passage Monday evening. The upper low is then progged to move through by Tuesday with showers decreasing through the day.

Forecast rainfall amounts with this system are impressive. 72-hour QPF from the CNRFC through 4 am Tuesday puts a 4-5″ bullseye over Big Sur,

Late Monday into Tuesday could bring some serious rain to the mountains of Big Sur. From NOAA:

“Gusty south winds and moderate to heavy rainfall can be expected beginning late Monday and continuing into Tuesday. The latest forecast storm total precipitation amounts range from 2.00 to 3.50″ over the highest peaks of the coastal North Bay, Santa Cruz, and Big Sur mountains.”

(STRs, part 3 this afternoon)

It started here about 10:30 am. Here is what we can expect.