Category: 2014 Fire Season

OES DROUGHT INFO

I, bigsurkate, decided to edit out the entire article from the CA OES … it is too depressing, and just bring you the links so that those of you who want to track this 500 year drought can do so. I was going to forgo a garden this year, but I am thinking that the availability of produce may be curtailed, and the prices astronomical, so I might want and need to plant a garden. I want to make an accurate spring 24-hour delivery determination, first.

Snow Surveyors Find Sparse Snowpack, Drought Retains Grip on California
by Brad Alexander on January 30, 2014

If I was an alarmist, or a Prepper, this last sentence of this report would be cause for concern “… In May 2013, Governor Brown issued an Executive Order to direct state water officials to expedite the review and processing of voluntary transfers of water and water rights.”

Electronic snowpack readings are available on the Internet at:

http://cdec.water.ca.gov/snow/current/snow/index.html

Reservoir conditions are found here:

http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/reservoirs/RES

For a broader snapshot of current and historical weather conditions, see DWR’s “Water Conditions” and “Drought” pages: Water Conditions Page
http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/

Drought Page

http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/drought/

New Drought Category

A new drought category has been created. It is called, “exceptional drought.” It is the Category Five of droughts. The coastal portion of Big Sur is not yet in this category, but the mountain/eastern portions are. Including me. Coastal areas are in “extreme drought” or Category 4 conditions. As we all know, this is not good. It is even more surreal to write this as I watch the news of Atlanta recover from a little bit OS snow.

My rain gauge measured absolutely zilch today. I thought maybe when I moved it a few weeks ago I might not have gotten it straight, but considering that seems to be the consensus in other areas that showed some wetness, but no measurable rain, it probably is fine. I did get some dampness up here, but mostly under trees and on window screens. Certainly could not call it rain under anyone’s definition.

I am a native Californian. I have lived in this state all my life. I am going to be 65. I have never experienced anything like this. Extreme measures are in the works and necessary. Conserve, be aware, and educate those who aren’t.

Urgent Fire Weather Message

URGENT – FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
206 PM PST THU JAN 23 2014

CAZ511-512-517-518-241015-
/O.EXA.KMTR.FW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-140124T2100Z/
EAST BAY HILLS AND DIABLO RANGE-SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS-
SANTA LUCIA MOUNTAINS AND LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST-
MOUNTAINS OF SAN BENITO AND INTERIOR MONTEREY COUNTY INCLUDING
PINNACLES NATIONAL PARK-
206 PM PST THU JAN 23 2014

…RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM PST FRIDAY FOR GUSTY
WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY FOR ALL MOUNTAINS ABOVE 1000 FEET…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA HAS ISSUED A
RED FLAG WARNING…WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM PST FRIDAY.

* AFFECTED AREA: FIRE ZONE 511 EAST BAY HILLS AND DIABLO
RANGE…FIRE ZONE 512 SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS…FIRE ZONE 517
SANTA LUCIA MOUNTAINS AND LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST…FIRE
ZONE 518 MOUNTAINS OF SAN BENITO AND INTERIOR MONTEREY COUNTY
INCLUDING PINNACLES NATIONAL PARK.

* TIMING: UNTIL 1 PM FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

* WIND: EAST WINDS 10 TO 20 MPH WITH FREQUENT GUSTS TO 30 MPH OVER
THE RIDGES. WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE SOUTHEAST LATE THIS EVENING
INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS.

* HUMIDITY: STEADY FROM 12 TO 25 PERCENT DURING THE DURATION OF
THE WARNING.

* IMPACTS: THE COMBINATION OF DRY FUELS…GUSTY WINDS AND LOW
HUMIDITY WILL CREATE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WHERE
ANY NEW IGNITIONS WILL EXPERIENCE RAPID FIRE GROWTH.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW…OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF
STRONG WINDS…LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY…AND WARM TEMPERATURES CAN
CONTRIBUTE TO EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR.

20140123-153003.jpg

It is gusting up to 35 mph on a regular basis up here.

Fire Weather, 2014

As we head into the three day MLK Birthday weekend …

Some fresh Red Flags hoisted for Monterey and San Benito counties including the Monterey Ranger District of the Los Padres.
Big Sur RAWS was 84 degrees with 6% RH this afternoon…drier than during the Pfeiffer Fire.

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/total_foreca…=mtr&version=0

PLEASE be careful, all our weekend guests. If you see any campfires outside the developed campgrounds of Plaskett, Kirk, Pfeiffer State Park, Riverside Campgrounds, Big Sur Campgrounds, or Fernwood. Please report it!