I think this is great news for the Central Coast.

Today’s Date: March 5, 2019 at 9:45 am

District:            05 – Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito and Santa

Cruz Counties

Contact:          Susana Z Cruz (bilingual) or Colin Jones

Phone:            (805) 549-3138 or 549-3189

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

**TRAFFIC ADVISORY**

CALTRANS ANNOUNCES TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF HWY. 1 AT MUD CREEK/PAUL’S SLIDE TODAY AT 5 PM

MONTEREY COUNTY — Caltrans has received confirmation from National Weather Service (NOAA) data that a significant storm will reach the areas of Mud Creek (PM 8.9) and Paul’s Slide (PM 21.6) on State Route 1 in the Big Sur area this evening. The Highway 1 closure, for traveler safety, will include the areas of Mud Creek and Paul’s Slide, closing today, Tuesday, March 5 at 5 pm until further notice. SEE ATTACHED CLOSURE MAP.

 The closure initiation process will begin at 3 PM with Electronic Message Signs activated and both sets of gates (Mud Creek and Paul’s Slide) closed by 5 pm today.  Storm activity is currently forecast through Thursday, March 7.

Businesses along the Big Sur Coast on Hwy. 1 remain open and are accessible via Hwys 101, 68, 46.

Caltrans’ Geotech, Maintenance and Construction units are on call and prepared to inspect/clean up when the storm ends during the daylight hours and it is safe to be onsite again—we currently anticipate this to be Thursday, March 7 (weather dependent).  Caltrans’ goal is to open the roadway as quickly and safely as possible and our staff remains on-call 24/7.

The gates on either side of Mud Creek and Paul’s Slide will be key locked. These gates will not be manned when the highway is closed and there will be no access to anyone, including Emergency Services or Caltrans employees until a proper assessment can be made and any necessary cleanup has been completed.

NOTE: Both Mud Creek and Paul’s Slide will close today. An update will be provided by the afternoon of Thursday, March 7 or sooner.

This is a rather long explanation of what is coming, what is likely, and what is possible, although improbable. From NOAA/NWS:

Early morning satellite imagery shows two features of interest
over the eastern Pacific approaching the California coast. The
first is a comma-shaped cloud mass associated with an upper low
currently centered several hundred miles west of San Francisco
near 35N/145W. The second is an elongated area of cloudiness to
the south of the upper low associated with a plume of subtropical
moisture that is taking aim at south-central California. Models
have been consistent in keeping these two features largely
independent of one another as they approach the coast over the
next 36 hours. What this means is that the subtropical moisture
plume, and its heavy rain potential, will likely remain mostly to
the south of our area. Models generally agree that rainfall
associated with this plume will spread onshore across southern
Monterey County by around midday Tuesday, but then mostly remain
to the south of our area through Wednesday, generating the most
intense rainfall across San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara
Counties. Meanwhile, the upper low will track towards the northern
California coast and spread widespread rainfall across our area
from late Tuesday into Wednesday. The upper low will entrain
enough moisture to generate moderate rainfall amounts across our
area, and brief locally heavy rain is possible, especially late
Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. Rainfall totals from Tuesday
through Wednesday are currently forecast to range from a half inch
to an inch in most urban/coastal/valley locations, and from 1 to
2 inches in the hills, except up to 3 inches in southwest Monterey
County. Rainfall totals of this magnitude combined with saturated
soil could result in minor nuisance flooding in low lying areas,
but river flooding is not anticipated. Will need to be wary,
however, of any indication that the upper low is entraining more
significant moisture from the moisture plume to its south. If such
a development were to occur, rainfall totals could be
significantly higher across our area, and more widespread and
serious flooding issues could develop. But given the how
consistent the models have been as of late, this more dire
scenario seems unlikely.

From John Lindsey, SLO: “This morning’s  European (#ECMWF) model run is indicating between 2 and 4 inches of rain starting Tuesday afternoon and continuing through Thursday afternoon.”

Today’s Date: March 4, 2019

District:            05 – Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito and Santa

Cruz Counties

Contact:          Susana Z Cruz (bilingual) or Colin Jones

Phone:            (805) 549-3138 or 549-3189

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

**24-HOUR TRAFFIC ADVISORY**

TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF HIGHWAY 1 AT MUD CREEK/PAUL’S SLIDE AT 5 PM TUESDAY, MARCH 5

MONTEREY COUNTY — Caltrans has received confirmation from National Weather Service (NOAA) data that a significant storm is in the forecast for this week including the areas of Mud Creek (PM 8.9) and Paul’s Slide (PM 21.6) on State Route 1 in the Big Sur area.

This advisory is to inform the public to be prepared for preemptive closure of the roadway scheduled for 5 pm Tuesday, March 5th due to a significant storm. A final notice will be sent just prior to the roadway closing. Caltrans will have our Geotech, Maintenance and Construction units on call and prepared to inspect/clean up during daylight hours when the storm ends and it is safe to be onsite again.

The gates on either side of Mud Creek and Paul’s Slide will be key locked. These gates will not be manned when the highway is closed. No one, including Emergency Services or Caltrans employees will be allowed access until a proper assessment can be made and any necessary cleanup has been completed.

NOTE: These advisories apply only to the Mud Creek and Paul’s Slide areas with each closure being treated separately–both locations will close at 5 pm Tuesday, March 5th. Please stand by for additional information.

# # #

Here is the “official” notice:

Today’s Date: February 27, 2019 at 9:25 am

District:           05 – Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito and Santa

Cruz Counties

Contact:          Susana Z Cruz (bilingual) or Colin Jones

Phone:            (805) 549-3138 or 549-3189

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

**UPDATE #1–TRAFFIC ADVISORY**

CALTRANS TO REOPEN HWY. 1 AT MUD CREEK/PAUL’S SLIDE THIS MORNING FOLLOWING TEMPORARY CLOSURE

MONTEREY COUNTY — Caltrans has received confirmation from National Weather Service (NOAA) data that the significant storms have passed in the areas of Mud Creek (PM 8.9) and Paul’s Slide (PM 21.6) on State Route 1 in the Big Sur area. Caltrans Geotech, Maintenance Design and Maintenance crews assessed all areas within the closure limits earlier today.

Highway 1, including Mud Creek and Paul’s Slide will fully reopen by 10 am today, Wednesday, Feb. 27.

Caltrans’ Geotech, Maintenance and Construction units are on call and prepared to inspect/clean up when each storm ends during the daylight hours and it is safe to be onsite again. Caltrans’ goal is to open the roadway as quickly and safely as possible and our staff remains on-call 24/7.

I got this tweet from Cal-Trans, Dist. 5, at 9:12 am, but have not received the “official” word from Susana, None-the-less I feel it is worth sharing:

“#Hwy1 Update: rainfall was less than forecast & road damage minimal so coast route is now fully OPEN thru #BigSur. @bigsurkate @BigSurCC @CHP_Coastal”

#UPDATE: US National Weather Service San Francisco Bay Area/Monterey California has forecast the Carmel River will reach Minor Flood Stage on 2/27 at 5am and crest 8.7 ft @ 9:00am. Low-lying homes from Camp Steffani to below Robles Del Rio will begin to flood., including Old Odello Ranch Paso Hondo and Dampierre Park. For more information: https://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=RDRC1

This was by John Lindsey from yesterday:

A series of Atmospheric River “AR” storms are expected to bring significant rain (potentially between 3 and 8+ inches in the wetter locations) to the Central Coast starting Wednesday and continuing through March 7th. More rain is expected the following week.