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.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

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.

Shortest day of the year, and longest night.

Christmas rituals are sometimes based on or originate from Celtic, Roman, or Viking rituals for the Winter Solstice. We can thank the Romans and Celts for most of our modern day Christmas traditions.

The festival of Saturnalia, an ancient pagan holiday which honoured the Roman God Saturn, took place every year between the 17th and 24th December. This was basically a week of eating, drinking and giving presents during the Northern Hemisphere’s winter solstice.

Likewise, the Celts celebrated the fact that the winter solstice had arrived and rejoiced at the fact that the nights were once more getting lighter and spring was only just around the corner.

 

 

 

From WildCAD:

. E335LPF . . . 34.9986, -120.3809
12/20/2017 13:28 LPF-3749
SEAL Resource Order Elephant Seal Parking Area

There is some wind on this, but lots of resources on scene.

 

 

New event: Fire Weather Watch for 93920

North Bay Mountains – East Bay Hills and the Diablo Range-
Santa Cruz Mountains – Santa Lucia Mountains and Los Padres National Forest – Mountains Of San Benito County And Interior Monterey County
Including Pinnacles National Park

…FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY VALUES FOR FIRE

The National Weather Service in San Francisco has issued a Fire
Weather Watch, which is in effect from Friday evening through
Sunday morning.

* WIND…Northerly winds of 15 to 30 mph with local gusts over 50 mph.
Strongest gusts will be over the North Bay Mountains and East Bay Hills and the Monterey Bay Region.

* HUMIDITY…Minimum humidity readings of 5 to 20% during the day.
Nighttime maximum humidity readings of 10 to 30%.

* IMPACTS…any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.
Outdoor burning is not recommended.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A Fire Weather Watch means that critical fire weather conditions
are forecast to occur. Listen for later forecasts and possible
Red Flag Warnings.