Category: 2012-2013 Weather

Here we go again, 11/30/12

1 pm – I contacted MoCo Rd re N-F, given the possible conditions on Highway One, and this is what they said: “Public Works crews are headed to N-F Road, should get there in about an hour. They’ll drive from East to West to check conditions. I won’t hear from them for hours, but I’ll let you know what I hear back.” Also, something is happening on Old Coast Rd, but can’t tell what. MoCo Rd advised, per CHP.

12:10 – 101 at Crazy Horse Canyon closed for an hour to remove debris CHP didn’t say if it was NB or SB.

Noon – Another cell phone alert. NOAA FLASH FLOOD Warning extended to 1:30 pm
NB 101 #2 lane north of Chualar is completely flooded. Water has been rising since 9 am, per CHP.

11:30 am – Rocky Creek is still open at this point, but my sources says there are rocks everywhere there could be rocks. More as things develop.

11 am – CT is calling it the Rocky Creek Closure. Not official, yet. I have sources headed that direction, will post as soon as I hear from them or get official notification.

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This is Juan Higuera Creek, photo by bigsurdeb. Thanks, deb!

10:30 am – per phone alert from NWS, flash flood warning extended until noon. Downloading a photo of Juan Higuera Creek which I will upload if I can! Internet is working, but slow and iffy.

10:00 am – CHP reporting mud/rock slide in Rocky Creek construction area. Spooky! This was removed from the site less than 5 mins after reported.

9:30 am – just got an alert to my cell phone that we have been upgraded from a flash flood watch to a flash flood warning until 10:30 am, which means flooding is imminent! The loud unusual beeping startled me, and it took a minute to figure out it was my phone!

9 am – There is a boulder down at Hurricane Point, some workers from town are reporting the Highway is a lake, but so far, no major slides reported. Probably some smaller ones I haven’t heard about. Flash Flood Watch still in effect here in Big Sur, LPNF, and Santa Lucia Mountains, so be careful out there! One friend in Big Sur Valley reported almost 2″ overnight. NOAA Big Sur RAWS reports just over 3″ in the last 24 hours. I haven’t checked mine, yet. Winds still a factor today, as well. As bigsurdeb says, ” Quack, quack.”

Here is today’s satellite photo from Dave Allan to show what is in store. It is a slow moving storm, so we will likely see heavy rain at times in certain areas.

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And here is the current NEXRAD

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Flash Flood Watch from 7 pm tonight through Monday morning!

…Flash Flood Watch in effect from 7 PM PST this evening through Monday morning… The National Weather Service San Francisco Bay area has expanded the * Flash Flood Watch to include a portion of California… including the following areas…Santa Lucia mountains and Los Padres National Forest and southern Monterey Bay and Big Sur coast. * From 7 PM PST this evening through Monday morning * rain is scheduled to arrive tonight and continue through the weekend with several storm systems. Copious amounts are expected in higher elevation areas…totals of 6 inches or more may fall. Given that watersheds are saturated from the prior storm on Tuesday…some smaller creeks may approach or overtop banks. * Storm drains may be overwhelmed and culverts may become blocked by debris…urban flooding is likely. At times… rainfall rates may exceed guidance thresholds for producing debris flows and slides in mountainous areas. Precautionary/preparedness actions… A Flash Flood Watch means that conditions may develop that lead to flash flooding. Flash flooding is a very dangerous situation. You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should flash flood warnings be issued.

Storm, 11/29/12

4:00 pm – I got a 1/10th of an inch today, bringing the season total to 4.6″. It just started POURING here! Fortunately, I had already got all the fur kids inside to feed them. Got so dark about an hour ago, I turned on a light, filled a couple of oil lamps and lit them, and put another log on the fire for the evening. I love reading on my iPad – don’t need a separate light! I have found that if I run my genie for about an hour a day during these “no sun days” I have power for at least 24 hours, if I am judicious. I haven’t pushed it to see how long the power lasts, just run it every afternoon for an hour. What a great system!

I have been monitoring the CHP site on and off all day, and so far, no serious issues on Highway One, at least here in Big Sur, although I am sure CT has had their hands full.

10 am – here is the latest satellite photo, courtesy of Dave Allan

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Here is the latest NEXRAD

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As we all know, significant rain expected tonight through Sunday, per NOAA. Looks like we will get a break during the day today, although I got a bit of rain about an hour ago.

Also, the latest Rocky Creek update (#7) provides the usual closures next week, Sunday through Thursday, 9 pm-7am. For visuals of the bents being installed, scroll down a couple of posts.

Storm, 11/28/12

NOTE – I have no clue why all my links categories disappeared and everything is lumped together as “bookmarks.” I am trying to rectify. Sorry for the inconvenience! An hour later, they reappeared just as mysteriously as they disappeared. Cyber goblins, clearly!

2 pm – the only “known” casualty at my place, so far, and I haven’t checked much, is my front screen door. It is in tatters. I don’t believe my wind gauge. It has been far stronger than 35 mph. Checking automatic sites in the area, those gauges are reporting much higher winds. Santa Cruz County is not fairing very well. Every time I check the CHP website there is another road closure due to downed trees or power lines, even one that sparked a vegetation fire. Hang in there everyone!

11am – 24″ tree down on 68 near Morse Blvd. blocking the EB lane.

Up here, I woke at 3 am to heavy winds. By dawn, they were quite impressive, and have remained so. The rain began just after 8 am. I was both a Curved Bar Girl Scout and a WAC. I have been trained to “Be Prepared.” I think I am. I sit in front of a roaring fire, with plenty of wood on hand.

In checking my usual sites, I see there is already a tree branch impeding traffic at Point Lobos, but should be removed shortly. Probably just the first of many, given the winds. Also NOAA is reporting that 4-8″ of rain is expected by Sunday in Big Sur and Los Padres. I’ll probably be on the 8″ side, but haven’t checked, yet. Later, when there is a break.

Wind is averaging about 25-27 mph per my gauge, with gusts of 35 mph. That’s between 10-11 am.

Be safe, be aware, and be careful out there. I am staying put!

Here is the NEXRAD radar:

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Getting ready for storms

Today was prep day, and I had help – getting wood inside, getting two leaks patched (hopefully), making sure I had enough water – nothing is worse than running low on water when it is raining cats and dogs outside – cooking up a batch of chili, turning a Sat turkey carcass into soup for the duration, making sure as much is secure as I can. My job was to man the kitchen. 😉 An easy job, I must say.

All eyes will be on the weather stories for the rest of the week. Would love to share yours with my readers. Send to kwnovoa@mac.com

Here is the satellite shot, thanks to Dave Allen!

BTW, great moonrise tonight between the clouds. Wish I’d had my camera!

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Batten down the hatches!

Starting Wednesday, and continuing for 5 days, a significant series of storms is progged to hit our area. I am running down to Cambria to stock up on more dog food, gas for the genie to back up the solar system, and wine … Priorities, you know. Tomorrow will be at home prep, bringing in firewood, securing all that I can, as some of theses storms will bring gusty winds, as well.

FWIW, CT was doing some work at Mud Creek, cleaning up the usual mess. This could be interesting. 15″ predicted in the North Bay, 4-8 inches down our way.

Current Radar

Rain started here about 4:50 pm, thus far, it is gentle.

Here is the current radar pic. It isn’t raining where I am, but Big Sur Valley may be getting a few sprinkles.

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Looks like there is a bit more coming.

Upcoming rain

Here are the current weather reports for the next few days:

From SLO:

“This cold front will weaken as it approaches the Central Coast on Wednesday night. Light rain showers will eventually develop late Thursday morning and rainfall amounts should reach about a tenth of an inch.”

From Monterey NOAA:

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
1048 AM PDT TUE OCT 30 2012

.DISCUSSION…AS OF 10:00 AM PDT TUESDAY…SATELLITE AND SURFACE
OBS INDICATE AREAS OF FOG ACROSS PARTS OF THE CWA THIS MORNING.
MOST SPOTS HAVE GONE ABOVE DENSE FOG LEVELS…SO SIMILAR TO
YESTERDAY WILL JUST GO WITH A SHORT TERM FORECAST (SFONOWMTR) TO
HANDLE THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. SATELLITE ALSO SHOWS A FAIR
NUMBER OF CLOUDS ALONG THE COAST AND WITH THE WESTERLY GRADIENT
FORECAST TO APPROACH 2 MB…GOOD CHANCE WE WILL HAVE SOME CLOUDS
REMAINING THROUGH THE DAY NEAR THE COAST. SOME INLAND SPOTS MAY
ONLY HAVE LIMITED BREAKS BY THIS AFTERNOON AS HIGH CLOUDS MOVE
ACROSS OUR AREA IN ADVANCE OF A STORM SYSTEM OUT OVER THE PACIFIC.
LOTS OF 60S AT THE COAST TODAY WITH 70S INLAND.

MAIN FORECAST ISSUE REMAINS THE PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM THAT WILL
MOVE THROUGH OUR AREA WEDNESDAY EVENING INTO THURSDAY MORNING. 12Z
GUIDANCE COMING IN NOW BRINGS RAIN INTO SF BAY AREA WEDNESDAY
EVENING. OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF ACTIVITIES ARE PLANNED FOR THAT TIME
PERIOD…SO WILL TAKE A VERY CLOSE LOOK AT ALL OPERATIONAL AND
ENSEMBLES FOR THE AFTERNOON PACKAGE. ONE GOOD ITEM IS 925/850 MB
WINDS ARE NOT AS STRONG WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE WITH THE 20-PLUS
KT EXPECTED TO REMAIN OVER THE NORTH BAY.

Earthquake

From KSBW:

A 4.0-magnitude earthquake struck halfway between Salinas and Soledad at 9:25 p.m. Sunday.

The epicenter was about 13 miles north of Soledad and 15 miles east of Salinas, according to the USGS.

The quake came less than an hour after the San Francisco Giants won the 2012 MLB World Series in Detroit by trampling the Tigers with a 4-game sweep.

Two small aftershocks, magnitudes 2.1 and 2.4, followed soon after, according to the USGS.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or damages.