While chilly, it is sunny and clear. Yippee! My mental health needed this. A random Big Sur photograph to identify tomorrow, but for today, a lot of stuff to take care of up here. Don’t forget daylight savings time tonight. Spring forward.

9:00 am – okay, maybe I was a little too optimistic. It is cloudy, cold, and dismal. Phewy.

7:00 am – woke to a welcomed reprieve this morning. Going to really appreciate this next week. Hope you do too! Maybe I’ll post another random photograph for identification during this period.

Noon – FOX channel 35, KCBA did an interview with Debbie Reed and Martha Karstens. There is video as well as text, for those, like me, who find video difficult on the internet. The link is:

http://www.kcba.com/global/story.asp?s=9951791

Not much to watch, but there is still the chance of some rain today, and then we are in for a clearing and warmer weather for tomorrow, through (dare I say it?) next week.It looks like additional rain fell up here, sometime between midnight and 5 am, but I don’t have the amount, yet.

CHP is reporting no problems, at this time. Most of us who live down here in the South Coast understand that even when the rain has stopped, the warming causes expansion, which in turn can lead to rock slides. So if traveling through here, it is still important to be aware of rockslide possibilities.

Also, new event to benefit Pacific Valley School on March 29th posted on the announcement page.

7:00 pm – Just gorgeous day, today. Chilly, but beautiful. Drove down to Cambria, to overnight something to the court, stopping to take photographs along the way. Salmon Creek was going off! Not over the big, top rock (which is rare) but lots of water coming around both sides. While forecasters are leaving a chance of rain in, it may be over for a while. 

8:30 am – PJ Wyatt in a comment below, reported clear sailing from Rio Rd. to Esalen. Cal-Trans has HAD to be busy to make that happen!! Great work, everyone!

7:00 am – 1.25 inches yesterday afternoon and last night, for 5 inches since Sunday. Season total 32″. Despite no reported problems on CHP website, Luis reports, through Merrie, that the road closed sign is up at the mouth of the valley. (Rio Rd.) However, my friend at MAF reports the road IS open, and is heading into Monterey today! Beautiful blue skies this morning, and not a cloud in sight- well, a few fluffy ones on the horizon and to the north, but they are pretty, not threatening!

6:00 am – at this point, nothing reported on the CHP website. Warren Doyle reported a vehicle fire last night (early this morning?) on fb (no details, other than it was a BSVFB member’s vehicle), and I will post rain totals from last night soon.

7:30 pm – road was opened of both the slide “JSO” of Big Sur, and the tree at JP Burns. Unknown as to when cleared, as it did not show up on CHP site, until they were just “gone” at 7 pm, despite the fact that I had them “refreshing” on my desk top all night. Technology is great, except when it isn’t.

5:10 pm – ALERT!! CHP reporting a NEW mudslide, JSO of Big Sur. Blocking 1 and 1/2 lanes. No MM given (and the ex says all this should be PM (for post mile), but I’m stickin’ with MM.) “Big  Sur” is many things to many people, but often considered either River Inn, the ersatz beginning, or the State Park, the “central.” Hopefully. we’ll get further details, and a more accurate description than “JSO [Just South Of]” which is of no use. 

4:45 pm – just got a call from a friend who drove through JP Burns. She says it is a tree down, hanging over the road. One lane partially open, but RVs can’t get through due to the overhang, so they are being stopped or turned away. Single cars can get around and under.

4:30 pm – ALERT CHP REPORTS SLIDE AT JP BURNS. NO FURTHER DETAILS, at this time. Will report as information becomes available.

2:30 pm – It has rained on and off this afternoon. Some periods of short cloud bursts, and others of gentle rain, but the storm seems to be picking up right now, with some serious rain. Oh, yeah, 1/2 hour of serious rain, now at 3 pm.

BTW, I had never heard of Cal-Trans going out after dark, so I asked the ex about Cal-Trans  clearing the road after dark, as it did last night and early this morning — north or south crew. He said in his 28 years with Cal-Trans, this was a first. So a big round of applause for our North Coast Cal-Trans crew!! Please don’t put yourselves in danger. As much as we’d like the road kept open, we don’t want to see anyone hurt on our behalf.

Debbie sent me several more, but as can happen, I can’t upload them at the moment, but will as soon as possible. Here they are, as promised.

Ray and Ceila Sanborn in the middle photo, Kenny Wright in the last one.

Here are some photos of the Grange area. Photos courtesy of Debbie Reed.

 

 

 

Thanks, Debbie, and glad you, your critters, your home, and your vehicle are all okay!

8:45 am – I have some photos of the mud flows at Juan Higuera and the Grange to post, as soon as my technology cooperates. Blaze Engineering of Big Sur came to the rescue, once again, digging out all the mud. From Debbie:

“Juan Higuera Creek backed up again. My house is fine but access was impossible until this a.m.  Dave Martin plowed a way out for me and the Blaze Engineering crew is going back now to unplug the culvert.  More pictures later.

Last night from 10:00 p.m. to about 11:00 not sure I’ve ever heard it
rain so hard.  Another inch in the rain gauge after 3″ yesterday.”

And this from the NOAA forecast discussion:

AS OF 8:35 AM PST TUESDAY...ANOTHER ACTIVE MORNING
 ACROSS THE BAY REGION WITH MORE RAIN AND EVEN A THUNDERSTORM OR
 TWO. ... WILL HAVE TO MONITOR THE SOUTHERN EXTENT OF
 THIS LINE TO SEE IF IT IMPACTS THE BURN AREAS. THIS WILL BE MOST
 IMPORTANT FOR THE BIG SUR AREA...AS A FEW SLIDES AND DEBRIS FLOWS
 HAVE BEEN REPORTED OVERNIGHT.

7:45 am – report from friend in Big Sur Valley:

“Believe it or not, I measured only .20 inches at the rain gauge at the [MAF] station.  With all the sounds of rain last night, I thought there’d be a lot more.  I drove up to the web cam site and the river is flowing fast, but not terribly high through the park.  Redwood Creek (Pfeiffer Falls) overflowed again last night and brought some tree trunks down with it so I had to go out of the park through the sewer treatment plant.  Since I only go about a mile that was the only problem.”  

6:30 am – rain received overnight: .50 inches. That means 3.75 inches since Sunday afternoon. Saturation rapidly approaching. More rain expected today.

5:45 am – and this report just posted on the CHP website: “RDWAY OPEN ALL THE WAY FOR NOW PER CAL TRANS.” Note the operative words, “for now.” Could be messy today, so drive slowly, and carefully.

5:30 am – While I slept, it was a busy night on Highway One – per the CHP website, at around 12:30 am, Highway One has a “soft” closure at several points. One on the south is at MM 11.2 , which is Willow Creek Rd., but my experience tells me this is really at 10.4, the Cal-Trans Willow Springs Maintenance Station. The other closure is listed at Fuller’s Beach, approximately MM 42.2. This closure is listed as being for approximately 8 hours.

There was also a slide between Fernwood and the State Park, which trapped two cars, no injuries, which was expected to be cleared around 2 am. However, the mud continued to flow, so may not have reopened.

This from NOAA:

AT 110 AM CALTRANS REPORTS MULTIPLE MINOR SLIDES ALONG HIGHWAY 1
NEAR THE BURN AREAS. AT MILE MARKER 42 A DEBRIS FLOW HAD COVERED
THE ENTIRE ROAD WHICH HAD CAUSED IT TO BE CLOSED WHILE CREWS WORK
TO CLEAR IT.

10:00 pm – the rain has begun, again. The winds have picked up, and I will post more storm watch again tomorrow, but for tonight, the gennie is off, and I will be reading “The Loop” about wolves in Montana.

3:30 pm – rains finally quit an hour or two ago. Received 3.25 inches for the storm. Whew. More due in tonight, but don’t think it will be a big. I’ve been wrong before.

12:30 pm – I am having significant internet connection problems today. Currently it is pouring, and we’ve topped 3 inches. Big Sur Valley has received 3/4 of an inch since 7 am.

And from this from the NOAA discussion:

NO WARNINGS ARE CURRENTLY IN EFFECT...BUT PERSONS NEAR THE BURN 
AREA SHOULD REMAIN ON ALERT TODAY AS MORE SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED 
AS THE MAIN STORM SYSTEM CONTINUES TO SPIN OFF THE COAST. RAINFALL 
AMOUNTS OVERNIGHT NEAR AND IN THE BURN HAVE BEEN AS MUCH AS 2 
PLUS INCHES OVER THE LAST 12 HRS COMBINED WITH THE POSS OF 
ANOTHER .5 TO .75 INCHES THIS AFTERNOON COULD MAKE THINGS
INTERESTING.

11:30 am – I was able to sneak out between downpours, during a momentary break in the rain, and get the gennie filled, so I have power again. It is again pouring. I am up to 2.75 inches, now, and like I said, it will surely hit 3 inches, maybe by noon. Still no reported road problems in Big Sur, by the CHP, anyway. One of our brigade members reported a significant boulder in the SB lane, 1/4 mile south of Deetjen’s.

10:00 am – no let up in the rain. We’ll be up to 3 inches by noon, no problem, if this keeps up. Plaskett ought to be a bloody mess today!

9:30 am – already up to 2.5 inches.

9:00 am – report from Big Sur Valley is that they received 1.75 inches, creeks and streams all flowing well, although expecting them to rise, as the rain makes its way into them from the back country. Road from town to the valley is clear. KION is reporting a flood and debris flow advisory, but we know we have to remain on our toes this week, as the rain accumulates, and we reach saturation. Be safe all.

7:00 am – rain total overnight, 2.10 inches, and it continues to rain. Nepenthe reports .91 inches since midnight, when it refreshes. CHP reports no road problems in Big Sur, and the rain continues to drop significant amounts, in fact, I will have increased to 2.25 inches in just a few minutes. The wind last night never really materialized, at least up here.

10:30 pm – the winds never materialized to the degree expected, but the rain picked up. Totals in the morning.

9:00 pm – yup, an hour from Carmel. Not too bad, yet, but definitely gusting. Goin’ to be rockin’ and rollin’ tonight, boys and girls! Wind in town must be bad, as a tree has fallen blocking one and 1/2 lanes of the WB 68 off ramp from SB 1. So buckle up. The ride is about to begin!

8:15 pm – I got reports of strong winds in San Jose around 5:30 pm, and another report of winds around 40 knots in Carmel at 8:00 pm. I have no way of verifying the speeds or the times of the wind, only of the reports, but with two reports, I am guessing the winds will make it here in another hour or so, at least that is the usual timeframe from Carmel. I’ll let everyone know, but it will hit the Nepenthe weather station before it hits me. Nepenthe reported 24 mph at 8:00 pm. Not bad, by my standards.

5:30 pm – nothing too spectacular for this storm. Perhaps 1/2 inch tonight through tomorrow. The problem is going to be the building of the saturation point for the soil, as the series of storms proceeds throughout the week. Snow levels may come down later in the week, as I’ve posted earlier. Will keep abreast of changes in conditions all week long.

4:30 pm – rain started about an hour ago. Not heavy, just steady for the last hour.

10:30 – sprinkles short lived, clouds scattered, even have some sunshine on and off. Will check back in tonight, or when the rains start in earnest. Otherwise, have a great Sunday.

8:00 am – sprinkling. Not heavy, just sprinkles.

7:00 am – Nothing, yet, either in Monterey (per pendoodles) or down here. But will report when the rains begin.

This was taken last night in San Simeon. One can see the Piedras Blancas lighthouse in the distance, with its light shining. Saying good buy to February. March is coming in like a lion, with wave after wave of rain, this first week.

Season total to-date: 27.5 inches.

The end of February totals for the last 5 years (still haven’t found my calendars for the previous 10 years, but they are here, I know.)
2008 – 45.0 inches
2007 – 17.5 inches
2006 – 30.1 inches
2005 – 59. 75 inches

So, we are still quite a bit below average, at least based on the last 5 years.

7:30 am – last day of February, and rain predicted to begin by tomorrow morning in our neck of the woods, and last for much of the week ahead. Could be a busy week for all of us. This morning’s NOAA forecast had this to say:

OVERALL THE WEEK WILL BE QUITE WET. FLOODING CONCERNS WILL ALSO 
BECOME ELEVATED AS EACH ROUND OF RAIN WILL FALL ON GROUND THAT 
IS ALREADY WET. FINALLY...SNOW LEVELS WILL DROP WITH EACH PASSING 
WAVE. IF THE MODELS VERIFY LEVELS WILL BE AROUND 2500 FEET IN 
THE WORST CASE SCENARIO BY WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND REMAIN UNDER 
4000 FEET FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK.

Friday’s Pine Cone has an article by Kelly Nix re the bridges in Big Sur State Park. 

“PFEIFFER BRIDGE WORK STILL IN DOUBT DESPITE BUDGET AGREEMENT”

If interested, read the article, but here I offer you my take, after following this budget fiasco closely for the last month.

Despite the budget, there is real uncertainty about when payments will start up again for many of us state independent contractors. I have had a “mere” $7500 – that’s 2 and 1/2 months of expenses – sitting up in the controllers office for just a couple days shy of a month now, and despite the budget, there is no word on when I will get paid. Not only that, but in May, when some of the budget items must go to the  voters, yet another stalemate may ensue. 

So, at this time, there is no guarantee, and in fact, there is a significant possibility that the Big Sur State Park may NOT open for Memorial Day weekend. All we can do is contact our state legislators and make our voices heard, and I urge ALL of you to do so, particularly visitors who love this place as much as we do.

Kirk Gafill, the Big Sur Chamber of Commerce President is asking all local businesses to fill out a survey about how their businesses would be affected by this closure, and if you have not done so, please fill it out and send it to Kirk.

Those of you who normally stay in the park, if it is not open, come anyway. There are other campgrounds, private campgrounds that will be open, but I suggest you contact them NOW for your summer reservations, because if the state does not open its doors, the private campgrounds will fill up fast. Don’t forget, there are rooms that can be filled too, and if possible, consider a weekday trip, rather than weekend. If you don’t know where to stay, click on the Big Sur Chamber of Commerce link to the right under Big Sur non-profits, and they have links to all the visitor-serving businesses in Big Sur. Our local businesses really need your support after all the loss of income due to the Summer of Fire, 2008.

Now is the time to make your summer plans for your visit, especially if the State Park does not open in time for summer visitors.