The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Flood Watch in effect Thursday afternoon 3/9 – Sunday morning, 3/12 for Monterey County WHAT: Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible. WHERE: Monterey County WHEN: Thursday afternoon, 3/9 – Sunday morning, 3/12 IMPACTS: Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers/creeks/streams & other low-lying/flood-prone locations. Creeks & streams will see rapid rises. Flooding may occur in poor drainage & urban areas. Low-water crossings may be flooded. Storm drains & ditches may become clogged with debris. Urban and small stream flooding is expected along with a 25% exceedance probability that some main stem rivers may rise above flood stage. PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS: Continue to monitor the latest forecasts and be alert for possible Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop. www.weather.gov/safety/flood NWS: inws.ncep.noaa.gov/a/a.php?i=80744408 More Info: bit.ly/3lV9OPz

Also, this just in from NWS: “

While
all coastal mountain regions in our CWA will see higher rain
totals, the focus remains across the Santa Cruz and Santa Lucia
Mountains of the Big Sur coast. For Santa Cruz Mtns, peak rain
totals Thursday through Friday had ranged 4.5-6.3" but have now
increased to a range of 5-7.5". For Santa Lucia Mtns, peak rain
totals had ranged 5-7.5" but increased to a range of 8-10.5".

NOAA’s Global Forecast System (#GFS) 0600Z model run is advertising between 2 and 4 inches of rainfall with heavier amounts in the Santa Lucia Mountains, while the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (#ECMWF) is predicting between 3 to 6 inches. Due to the subtropical nature of this system, snow levels will be above 8,000 feet and could cause flooding due to snow melt in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Please stay tuned for watches and warnings from the National Weather Service’s offices at weather.gov/lox/ and weather.gov/hnx/. It’s a good idea for residents in flood-prone areas to have emergency plans in place and be prepared to evacuate if necessary. Learning from past experiences and using that knowledge to inform present and future decisions are always valuable.

After a break in the rain on Sunday and Monday, another storm is forecast to produce gusty southerly winds and rain on Tuesday into next Wednesday. (John Lindsey, Meteorologist for PG&E, SLO Co.)

Another Meteorologist, Dr, Ryan Maue, writes:

Friday is first major Pineapple Express onslaught of moisture into California. Then, early next week another sequence of storms.

Rain and snowfall estimates are astounding for next 1-2 weeks.

Sad to say, but this type of rain/snow combo in mid-March is all trending from bad to worse.