County-wide Storm Updates

For your information:

Evacuation Orders

  • Areas of Aroyo Seco, Effective Immediately March 10th
  • Pajaro Community, Effective Immediately, March 10th

Evacuation Warnings have been issued for the following locations:

  • Areas of Carmel Valley, Effective Immediately March 10th NEW downgraded
  • Areas of North Salinas, Effective Immediately March 9th 
  • Areas of Bolsa Knolls, Effective Immediately, March 9th
  • Carmel River Lagoon area, Effective Immediately, March 9th
  • Big Sur River, Effective Friday, March 10th at 5pm

·       All areas of the Salinas River, Effective Immediately, March 10th

The total population under evacuation warning, order is 8,550. 

Evacuation map: https://montereyco.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=905a9458324b4868804d96b5593eb978

Details at https://member.everbridge.net/453003085611217/notif

Link to Department of Emergency Management Storm Incident webpage:  https://tinyurl.com/PineappleExpress2023  NEW

Emergency SheltersNEW

Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds 2061 E. Lake Blvd, Watsonville

Compass Church, 10325 S. Main Street, Salinas

Temporary Evacuation Points. NEW

All TEPs are open 24 hours. Evacuees who want to go to an Emergency Shelter but need transportation should go to a TEP to make arrangements.  NEW

Prunedale Library           17822 Moro Rd

Carmel Valley Library      65 W. Carmel Valley Rd.

King City Library              402 Broadway St.

The Monterey Convention and Visitors Bureau has a link for evacuation rates area hotels are offering if and when evacuation orders are issued. Community Connection 

Road Information:  

Hard road closure in effect West of 47158 Arroyo Seco Rd. Due to Flooding and Structural Damage to the road. NEW

County Road Closures:  https://www.co.monterey.ca.us/government/departments-i-z/public-works-facilities-parks/public-works/road-closures-information

TAMC Cone Zone Road information and links: https://www.tamcmonterey.org/cone-zone-report

CalTrans Highway information:  https://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/

Sand Stockpiles and Sand Bag Distribution 

Sandbag Distribution List  https://www.co.monterey.ca.us/home/showpublisheddocument/84677/638092151636770000

Sand Stockpiles  https://www.co.monterey.ca.us/home/showpublisheddocument/118959/638092149145970000

Maia Carroll

Communications Coordinator

County of Monterey

Closure Limits on Highway One to remain in place from Elephant Seal Vista Point to Deetjen’s Inn

MONTEREY / SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTIES – Highway 1 on the Big Sur coast will remain closed due to damage from an ongoing winter storm event.

After overnight storms, crews began at first light to assess the roadway and reported dozens of areas affected by slides, rockfall, and water coursing across the road.

The southern closure limit of Highway 1 will remain at four miles north of San Simeon at the elephant seal vista area. The northern limit will stay at just south of Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn in Monterey County.

At the southern end of the closure area, crews still must clean up miles of slide material in addition to moving a large boulder from the roadway just south of the county line. Plugged culverts also need to be cleared where water is crossing over and down the highway. 

More rain is expected tonight.

At the northern end of the closure, there are at least three active and unstable slides. Caltrans will be joined tomorrow by contracted crews to continue to work to remove slide material and stabilize these slopes.

Crews will continue to work all daylight hours throughout the weekend in efforts to hasten the safe reopening of the highway for the travelling public.

Road information and updates can also be found on Caltrans District 5 Social Media platforms: Twitter at: @CaltransD5, Facebook at: Caltrans Central Coast (District 5) and Instagram at: Caltrans_D5.

Highway One update from Caltrans

HIGHWAY 1 ON BIG SUR COAST CLOSED

BETWEEN ELEPHANT SEAL VISTA POINT AND DEETJEN’S INN

MONTEREY / SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTIES – Highway 1 on the Big Sur Coast remains closed today due to damage from an ongoing winter storm event.

Due to slide and rockfall activity as well as water flowing across the roadway, the southern closure boundary was moved ten miles south of Ragged Point this morning to the elephant seal viewing area in San Luis Obispo County.

Crews have been able to clear multiple slides including one near Garrapata at PM 63, and one which reached across both travel lanes at PM 29.

Highway 1 south of Pacific Valley at PM 16 presents with ongoing concerns including a slide across the roadway, persistent rockfall, and water flowing across the road south of the San Carpoforo Creek Bridge.

An update will be provided later today with continuing assessments of conditions from Highway 1 with any additional information about the status of the parameters of the closure area.

Every effort is being made to respond to storm damage and to reopen Highway 1 as soon as it is safe for the traveling public.

NOTE; Even though this says PM 29 was cleared (or implied it was) the chp told one local they weren’t going to work on it until Monday and another local took these photos less than 1/2 hour before Caltrans sent out the above. Photos by Jon Knight.

The following is a Caltrans photo taken of Paul’s Slide today.

Evacuation Order for East Village in Cambria

The County of San Luis Obispo has issued an EVACUATION ORDER for the following areas in Cambria due to flooding


San Luis Obispo, CA – The County of San Luis Obispo has issued an EVACUATION ORDER for the following areas in Cambria due flooding:

  • North of Santa Rosa Creek
  • West of Bridge St
  • South of Main St
  • East of Cambria Drive

Residents are directed to leave now and seek high ground. A Temporary Evacuation Point has been established at the Santa Rosa Catholic Church, 1174 Main St in Cambria.  An American Red Cross Shelter is open for evacuees at the Cal Poly Campus Crandall Gym, 1 Grand Ave in San Luis Obispo. Pets are welcome at the shelter.

Detailed maps of the area under Evacuation Order are available on ReadySLO.org. If you need transportation assistance or have questions, call the Phone Assistance Center at (805) 543-2444.

For more storm preparation information and locations to obtain sand and sandbags, visit ReadySLO.org. Follow the County of San Luis Obispo Office of Emergency Services on Twitter @slocountyoes and Facebook.com/SLOCountyOES.

Evacuation Orders for portions of the Pajaro Community

The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has issued an Evacuation Order for the Pajaro Community to go into effect immediately and until further notice. The following zones are under Evacuation Order: • Zone B-001 • Zone B-003 • Zone B-005 • Zone B-006 • Zone B-007 • Zone B-0012 If you are in the Evacuation Order Zone quickly and calmly evacuate. If it is safe to do so, check with your neighbors to ensure they have been made aware of this alert. If you need animal sheltering, call the SPCA at 831-373-2631. After hours line: 831-646-5534. Monitor local media, social media, and Nixle alerts for updates. Call 2-1-1 for information. Call 9-1-1 only if you have a life-threatening emergency. Evacuation Shelter: Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 2601 East Lake, Watsonville, CA in the Crosetti Building To view all Evacuation Zones: https://bit.ly/3Za0Xc0 

Evacuation Order for Arroyo Seco community

The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has issued an Evacuation Order for the Arroyo Seco Community to go into effect immediately and until further notice. If you are in the Evacuation Order Zone quickly and calmly evacuate. If it is safe to do so, check with your neighbors to ensure they have been made aware of this alert. If you need animal sheltering, call the SPCA at 831-373-2631. After hours line: 831-646-5534. Monitor local media, social media, and Nixle alerts for updates. Call 2-1-1 for information. Call 9-1-1 only if you have a life-threatening emergency. To view all Evacuation Zones: https://bit.ly/3Za0Xc0

Evacuation Order for portions of Carmel Valley

Advisory: Evacuation Order Effective Immediately for areas of Carmel Valley | Orden de Evacuación para la Comunidad de Valle de Carmel

Dear Nixle User,The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has issued an Evacuation Order for areas of Carmel Valley to go into effect immediately and until further notice. If you are in the Evacuation Order Zone quickly and calmly evacuate. If it is safe to do so, check with your neighbors to ensure they have been made aware of this alert. If you need animal sheltering, call the SPCA at 831-373-2631. After hours line: 831-646-5534. Monitor local media, social media, and Nixle alerts for updates. Call 2-1-1 for information. Call 9-1-1 only if you have a life-threatening emergency. To view all Evacuation Zones: https://bit.ly/3Za0Xc0 

Friday, 3/10 updates as available

9:30 am, NOAA/NWS Forecast Discussion:

DISCUSSION...as of 08:25 AM PST Friday...Water vapor imagery
shows the southward progression of the moisture plume associated
with this atmospheric river. Due to this, dry air has begun to
move across the North Bay area. Radar indicates a continuation of
rainfall primarily across Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, Monterey and
San Benito counties. Heaviest rainfall will be along the coast of
Monterey County including Big Sur. This looks to remain the case
until this afternoon, when the moisture tap moves further south
limiting the potential for rainfall. Expect showers, more limited
in coverage, this evening into the overnight hours. Mainstem river
flooding will remain a concern as rivers continue to rise and
crest throughout the day. Urban flooding will also continue to
plague the area along with damage associated with winds and the
potential for landslides.

9 am – Las night, highway 1 was closed from Deetjen’s to Ragged Point. This morning around 8:30, they moved the southern closure to Elephant Seal vista. As of 7 am this morning, Mining Ridge has received 9” of rain. The latest forecast (3 am?) says the heaviest rain will be today. This photo was sent to me by Sylvia Trotter, sent to her by her son Marshall, who believes it originated with a county roads crew.

Says the wash out is at Chimney Rock Road at Dawn Road same as last storm, only this time took out the whole road.