While it is predicted to be severe in the Sierras with up to 10’ of snow and major road closures, here it will be a bit milder, but still a possibility of significant rainfall and snow down to 2000’, A reminder, Daniel Swain of Weather West will be having Office hours on You Tube at 10:00 am. Tune in here: https://www.youtube.com/live/6-Epct0Ynx8?si=z0PjoucW9FtxqXxZ
From NWS/NOAA:
“We hate to be the bearer of bad news but the late week weather looks downright…unpleasant. Cold, windy, and cloudy with periods of rain. Dreary conditions will linger into Saturday. Clearing a bit for early next week but temperatures will remain chilly #cawx”
On Thursday, March 14, 2024, the Coastal Commission will hold a public hearing to consider the consistency determination submitted by the U.S. Forest Service proposing to prohibit overnight camping and campfires for a two-year period at San Carpoforo Beach, in Big Sur. The hearing agenda, along with instructions on how to provide written comments and to participate in the hearing either in person or via Zoom, is available at this link:
The Coastal Commission’s staff recommendation on this proposal will be posted and available for your review at this link with Thursday’s Agenda Item 10a, along with correspondence received to date, including the letters and emails you’ve already provided.
Thanks, and please let me know if you have any questions,
Tom Luster
Senior Environmental Scientist
Energy, Ocean Resources, and Federal Consistency Division
It was so uplifting to have the sun shining and warmer temperatures for the weekend. It allowed me some time to continue clean-up from the last storm and the one before that. I did not build a single fire in the wood stoves this weekend. What a nice break. Now, that is about to change.
But this coming weekend, it looks as if snow levels could be lowered to 2000’ (I am at 3200’). John LIndsey of SLO. Good for the snow pack in the Sierras and for skiers, not so much for me. Although it is beautiful! Stay tuned as the forecast comes more into focus!
From Daniel Swain (Weather West) I’ll have my next live YouTube weather & climate office hours this Thu (2/29) at 10am PT. Topic will be the upcoming pattern shift toward much colder storms, including possibility of very heavy Sierra snowfall! #CAwx #CAwater
Monterey County is making every effort to make Zoom meetings available for the BSMAAC meetings. For those of us south of the slides, this would be a life-saver, to say the least. I have been attending these meetings since 1984, not too long after they started. In those 40 years, I have probably missed less than a dozen meetings, that’s how important I think they are.
Monterey County did a quasi “dry run” of this and recorded the meeting, which is now available on you tube for viewing. This is the meeting that was held on 2/9/24. Thank you, Alex Vetsula for making this available to me and to my readers. And thank you, Monterey County for taking BSMAAC into the 21st century. Please feel free to pass this along. This could be a game changer for many of us, especially those of us who have lived South of the slide for 14 months now.
MONTEREY COUNTY– Caltrans crews continue to respond to two recent slides on Highway 1 in Monterey County on the Big Sur coast.
Repairs
Crews have started repairs at the Dolan Point Slide which occurred on Thursday Feb. 8 at Post Mile 29.5. Concrete anchors have been set into the slope to facilitate the use of specialized spider excavators which are suited to operate in the steep terrain.
Initial plans to mobilize equipment from the south to make repairs at Dolan Point were changed after the Regent’s Slide closed the highway south of there on the evening of Friday Feb. 9. The repairs at Dolan Point are now being mobilized from the north.
Weather has caused some delays in the progress of repairs and may do so going forward. The current estimate for the reopening of Highway 1 at the Dolan Point Slide is March 8.
At the Regent’s Slide at PM 27.8, Geotechnical surveys are underway, and a recommended repair strategy is expected in the coming weeks. A more formal estimate for a reopening of Highway 1 at the Regent’s Slide will be available once the scope of the work is defined in greater detail.
The top of the Regent’s Slide is estimated to be approximately 450 ft. above the roadway. Assessments continue to indicate that, like the Dolan Point Slide, material will have to be removed from the top down. As with all Highway 1 repairs on the Big Sur coast, progress will be impacted by weather conditions. The recent slides have not changed the late spring estimate for a full reopening of Highway 1 at Paul’s Slide.
The northern closure point on Highway 1 moved today from above Dolan Point to just north of Lime Creek at PM 32.1. The movement of the northern closure was necessary to create stockpiling space in support of repair work at Dolan Point. It is expected that the northern closure will remain at PM 32.1 until both the Dolan Point and Regent’s Slide have been cleared. The southern closure point remains at PM 20 just south of Limekiln State Park making for a 12.1-mile closure on the coast.
The balance of Highway 1 remains open for travel from the Monterey/Carmel area to just south of the Esalen Institute, and from the Cambria/San Simeon area to just south of Limekiln State Park.
Convoys
With the conclusion of the most recent rain system, daily convoys have resumed through Paul’s Slide in the north and southbound direction at 8 am and 4 pm. These convoys allow for local residents living south of the Regent’s Slide and north of Paul’s Slide to travel south through Paul’s Slide to secure supplies now that travel to the north is blocked by the Dolan Point and Regent’s Slides.
Because passage through Paul’s Slide is by way of a dirt roadbed, convoys will continue as long as site conditions and weather make for safe travel.
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.
CREWS CLEAR ROCKSLIDE NEAR SALMON CREEK AS HIGHWAY 1
REOPENS TO PRE-STORM CLOSURE PARAMETERS
MONTEREY COUNTY– Caltrans crews have cleared a rockslide on Highway 1 north of Salmon Creek which had closed the road near that location on Monday Feb. 19. Highway 1 has returned to closure limits which were in place before last weekend’s storms.
Highway 1 on the Big Sur coast is again closed from Dolan Point at Post Mile 29.7 to just south of Limekiln State Park at PM 20.
Highway 1 remains open for travel from the Monterey/Carmel area to Post Mile 29.7, some 2.7 miles south of the Esalen Institute. Highway 1 is also open from the Cambria/San Simeon area to just south of Limekiln State Park at PM 20.
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.
2 pm – from Caltrans: “.Due to slide activity just north of Salmon Creek at Post Mile 2.8, Highway 1 on the Big Sur coast is closed from 2.6miles north of the San Luis Obispo/Monterey County line to Radio Point at PM 4.6. There is no estimate for opening. Hwy. 1 also remains closed from Dolan Point at PM 29.7 to just south of Limekiln State Park at PM 20.”
Highway One closed. From chp:
Detail Information
7:59 AM
1
[1] CLOSURE DUE TO ACTIVE ROCK SLIDES MOVED TO MPM 2.6 AT SALMON CREEK AND MPM 29.01 AT DOLAN POINT
Here is a photo of the rock slide:
I got my back up ViaSat up and running this am, as Starlink was down again! But so easy, AND it takes a lot less power than Starlink, for those of you off grid types with their own solar systems.
Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has issued an evacuation warning for areas downslope of the River Fire Burn Scar on River Rd effective immediately until further notice. These streets include, Berry Drive, Pine Canyon Rd, 800 Block of River Rd, Limekiln Rd, and Parker Rd. The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch for the River Fire Burn Scar area in effect February 18, 2024 beginning 4PM through Wednesday Morning.
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has issued an Evacuation Warning for low lying areas of the Carmel River Community to go into effect immediately until further notice due to the incoming storm. If you are in an Evacuation Warning Zone prepare to leave. Be ready to leave if an Evacuation Order is issued. Gather essential items now to be ready to go. If you feel unsafe, do not wait for an evacuation order, leave immediately. Check with your neighbors to ensure they have been made aware of this alert. Those with large animals should leave now; For animal sheltering call the SPCA 831-373-2631. SPCA After Hours Line 831-646-5534. Monitor local media, social media, and Nixle alerts for updates. Call 9-1-1 only if you have a life-threatening emergency. To view an Evacuation Map: https://bit.ly/3Za0Xc0
The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch for the River Fire Burn Scar area in effect February 18th beginning 4PM through Wednesday Morning. Monitor forecasts and be prepared to take action should Flash Flood Warnings be issued. Do not wait for alerts or warnings if you feel that your life is in danger. Heavy rainfall could trigger flash flooding of low-lying areas, urbanized street flooding, and debris flows in and near recent wildfire burn scars. Flash Flood Watch: Be Prepared: A Flash Flood Watch is issued when conditions are favorable for a specific hazardous weather event to occur. A Flash Flood Watch is issued when conditions are favorable for flash flooding. It does not mean flash flooding will occur, but it is possible. National Weather Service: https://bit.ly/3OP9WvD”
I drove up from the south Saturday before noon and all was well with the road at that point. By the time I pulled into Plaskett, it was raining. It persisted all the way up the mountain for the next hour with fog/low clouds also hindering visibility. Definitely a challenge, but we got home safely.
That was as of 1 pm Saturday afternoon, shortly after I got home. This next is what we received in the 24 hours ending at 6 am Sunday morning.
We had sunshine for a bit this am, although it has been quite chilly. Clouds are moving in for round two. I’ll add to this post later as the storm moves in if needed.
“Last Sunday night we were out looking at the stars when we noticed a fireball in the south. I immediately knew that this was a SpaceX launch as I had seen one a couple of years ago at 4AM. I checked the SpaceX launch schedule and for sure, it was this one, https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=sl-7-12. Quite spectacular, with binoculars we could even see the huge plume from the second stage in the upper atmosphere.
Thought you might be interested in a couple of pictures I took of the rocket launch.”
By the way, Chris informed me that these photos were taken with a handheld iPhone. Pretty amazing.
