Category: Weather Conditions

Final July 4th Fire in Big Sur

it is SO hard to keep from editorializing on this one, if what one witness said is true.

around 7:30 pm – a reader posted in the comments section in my last post about witnessing a fire south of Grimes Point. Fortunately, it was caught early and silenced fast. This is what WildCAD recorded:

07/04/2015 19:40 LPF-1907
ROAD Wildfire HWY 1 MM 32 . 7EDW1 BC12LPF E18LPF Langston Effective 0830 Light Brush 0.2 36.087 x 121.618

It was only .2 of an acre at final count thanks to the fine efforts of all our firefighters from all agencies. Thanks, everyone!  MM 32 puts it around Anderson Canyon, just south of JPBurns.

According to Jim Kimball a witness said he or she saw a family BBQing along the side of the road and then dump their live coals over the side. As I said, if this is true, it is hard not to editorialize about this one.

Upcoming and July 4th weekend weather

  From my SLO Weatherperson, “Asthe ridge remains entrenched, subtropical moisture will be  transported northward over most of California on Sunday into  Tuesday with increasing mid to high-level clouds and a potential for rain showers and thunderstorms. It will feel muggy in the inland areas, however, increasing northwesterly winds on Sunday  afternoon into Tuesday will keep the beaches and coastal valleys cooler. 

 The ridge will move off to the northwest late next week for gradually cooler temperatures over the 4th of July weekend.   

Parkhill Fire, Day 2

7:00 am – Early morning reports put this fire at 1900 acres! correction, officially 1200 acres. Aircraft should start flying it within the hour. A photo by SLOStringer shows the ICP just after being covered with the orange stuff. Lost most of their paper maps. With no cell service out there, they have gone to satellite phones. Here is the morning briefing, photo by CalFire. I wonder if that is smoke or fog? Lots of fog on the coast, and temps MUCH cooler (only 70) with humidity up to almost 20%.

  

Nighttime slide removal Elephants Trunk to Gorda

 

__________________________________________________________

 

State of California • Department of Transportation

NEWS RELEASE

Today’s Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2015

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 (805) 549-3189

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Highway 1 from Elephant Trunk to Gorda

RESIDENT NOTIFICATION – ANNUAL SLIDE REMOVAL OPERATION

 Caltrans wishes to inform residents along Hwy. 1 between Elephant Trunk and Gorda, that a slide removal operation is expected to begin in the vicinity of your neighborhood on Monday night, June 22 at 10 pm.

 This slide removal operation will take place Sunday night through Friday morning for a three week period (June 22 through July 10) during the same overnight hours as the Elephant Trunk Retaining Wall project closures, from 10 pm to 7 am.  

 Caltrans will make every effort not to disturb the residents in the area, however, residents are encouraged to prepare accordingly for this work.

 Questions about this project can be directed to Caltrans Public Information Officer Susana Z. Cruz at (805) 549-3138.                                                                                            

 This annual slide removal operation was postponed and scheduled at the same time of the Elephant Trunk Retaining Wall project to minimize the impact to the local residents. Your patience and cooperation is greatly appreciated. This roadwork is necessary to avoid any highway closures in the winter.

 All local businesses in the Big Sur Area remain open for business during the project.

 For traffic updates on other state highway projects in Monterey County, motorists

can call Caltrans District 5 Public Affairs at 831-372-0862 or visit the District 5 website

at: http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist05/road_information.htm  

 

 

             

                                               

                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Big Sur Multi Agency Advisory Council Meeting Friday, June 19 at 10 am

I will be uploading the agenda and minutes from the last meeting throughout the day during a town run. There are 2 pages of agenda, and 3 of minutes. All pages had to be captured via screen shot to enable me to post them. So, patience, grasshopper.

  
    

        

SB Highway One repairs at Ft. Ord

Today’s Date: Tuesday, June 16, 2015District: 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                                                          

SOUTHBOUND HIGHWAY 1 LANE CLOSURES FOR EMERGENCY REPAIR NEAR ORD VILLAGE THIS THURSDAY ONLY—HEAVY DELAYS EXPECTED

MONTEREY COUNTY –A one-day, emergency concrete slab repair project on southbound Hwy. 1 near Seaside, near Ord Village (Main Gate) will take place on Thursday, June 18, Caltrans officials announced today. Details are as follows:

· Southbound Hwy. 1 closure of the #2 (middle) and #3 (right) lanes; the southbound #1 (left) lane will remain open.

· Thursday, June 18 from 9 am to 12 noon.

· Up to 30 minute delays are anticipated.

· All northbound lanes will remain open, but Hwy. 68 may be used as an alternate route.

 NOTE: There will be electronic message boards alerting motorists and the CHP will be present to assist with traffic control.

This roadwork is being performed by the Caltrans Monterey Maintenance crews as a safety precaution to provide motorists and bicyclists a safer route to travel.

Elephants Trunk update #5

“The next phase of the project consists of full overnight closures on Highway 1 from Gorda to Ragged Point and is scheduled to begin on Monday night, June 22. Roadwork will take place Sunday nights through Friday mornings from 10 pm until 7 am. “

Plaskett Fire Development – Arson?

I’ve been watching WildCAD change the IC every 12 hours on the Plaskett Fire since it was supposedly out, and I wondered what that was about. Today I found out. I had company today, including Rock Knocker. Plaskett Ridge Rd was closed at the bottom to all but local traffic … Still. Rock Knocker and an other couple came up to my place and passed the Point of Origin. RK tried to take a photo, but was stopped by those present, because … “It was a crime scene.” They were sifting and looking for evidence. Heads up, we have a possible arsonist in the neighborhood.

2015-2016 NOAA’s El Niño Diagnostic Discussion

“Synopsis: There is a greater than 90% chance that El Niño will continue through Northern Hemisphere fall 2015, and around an 85% chance it will last through the 2015-16 winter. (Ed. Note, still unsure about strength.)
During May, sea surface temperatures (SST) anomalies increased across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean (Fig. 1 & Fig. 2). All of the Niño indices were in excess of +1.0oC, with the largest anomalies in the eastern Pacific, indicated by recent weekly values of +1.4oC in Niño-3 and +1.9oC in Niño-1+2 (Fig. 2). After a slight decline in April, positive subsurface temperature anomalies strengthened during May (Fig. 3) in association with the progress of a downwelling oceanic Kelvin wave (Fig. 4). In addition, anomalous low-level westerly winds remained over most of the equatorial Pacific, and were accompanied by anomalous upper-level easterly winds. The traditional and equatorial Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) were both negative, consistent with enhanced convection over the central and eastern equatorial Pacific and suppressed convection over Indonesia (Fig. 5). Collectively, these atmospheric and oceanic features reflect an ongoing and strengthening El Niño.
Nearly all models predict El Niño to continue throughout 2015, with many predicting SST anomalies to increase into the late fall 2015 (Fig. 6). For the fall and early winter, the consensus of forecasters slightly favors a strong event (3-month values of the Niño-3.4 index +1.5oC or greater), relative to a weaker event. However, this prediction may vary in the months ahead as strength forecasts are the most challenging aspect of ENSO prediction. A moderate, weak, or even no El Niño remains possible, though at increasingly lesser odds. There is a greater than 90% chance that El Niño will continue through Northern Hemisphere fall 2015, and around an 85% chance it will last through the 2015-16 winter (click CPC/IRI consensus forecast for the chance of each outcome for each 3-month period).
Across the contiguous United States, temperature and precipitation impacts associated with El Niño are expected to remain minimal during the Northern Hemisphere summer and increase into the late fall and winter (the 3-month seasonal outlook will be updated on Thursday June 18th). El Niño will likely be a contributor to a below normal Atlantic hurricane season, and above-normal hurricane seasons in both the central and eastern Pacific hurricane basins.”

Chance of Thunderstorms?

  From my SLO Meterologist:

 “For today, an upper-level low-pressure system is drawing plenty of tropical moisture from the remnants of Hurricane Blanca northward  into the Central Coast. Widely scattered sprinkles or rain showers  will move into the Central Coast later this morning into tonight.

  There is also a chance of thunderstorms throughout the region  this afternoon. Thunderstorms with lightning activity are expected  to develop in the Sierra Nevada and Tehachapi Mountains and perhaps in far Eastern San Luis Obispo County today. As the upper-level  low crosses the Central Coast during the overnight hours, there is potential for thunderstorms activity to continue through Wednesday morning.”

And from NWS, Monterey: