After Stan sent out an email last night listing the road closure on the south at Rocky Creek, MM 12, when there is no Rocky Creek down here, I realized that most of the North Coasters don’t know the South Coast very well, and particularly all the names of all the previous slide locations like we do.

Jim Kimball, a l-o-n-g time South Coaster, has a mile-marker listing that is more comprehensive than any I have seen. PLUS he knows Gray Slip, Blue Slide and Duck Pond, and where they are, as we all do down here. (How many of us haven’t been caught in one or all?)

He’s put them together with the highway mile markers for a great resource. It has been added to my Winter Conditions, 2008-2009 links to the right as Big Sur Mile Markers. This way, the next time any announcement comes out giving Mile Markers and approximate landmarks, you can check for yourself the accuracy of the relationship between the landmark and the mile markers. It won’t guarantee that the information provided is accurate, as when Richard at Cal-Trans says he is putting the sign at Willow Creek, when he really means Willow Springs, but, it is a start.

12:30 pm – the web cam is down at the Big Sur River. That could mean electrical or phone problems, or something else entirely. I haven’t a clue, or a report.

9:00 am – Per the CT website:  IS REOPENED 12 MI NORTH OF THE SAN LUIS OBISPO/MONTEREY CO LINE  

AT 0820 HRS ON 1/24/08 

I received 2.25″ overnight, bringing the storm total to 4 and 1/2 inches. Toby, on Partington is also reporting the same 4 1/2 inches for the storm, starting Wednesday.

Received an email from Keith from Lucia. He arrived home at around 11:30 pm from Rio Rd. and reports CHP closure at Fuller’s Beach to the north. Little rock in the SB lane, but treacherous fog.

The NOAA discussion has the rain tapering off, with only minimal moisture moving into our area. The airmass dropping down from BC will drop the snow levels to 3000 ft. but with minimal moisture, snow expected to be light.

This on the Cal-Trans website this morning:

[IN THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AREA] 
    IS CLOSED 12 MI NORTH OF THE SAN LUIS OBISPO/MONTEREY CO LINE  
– DUE TO ROCK SLIDES – MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO USE AN ALTERNATE ROUTE

and this update from CHP:

6:25AM	IF CALTRANS OPENS HWY 1 PLS ADVISE 27-S6
5:50AM	NEAR CASTLE STATING SR1 CLOSED 28 MI AHEAD
2:37AM	ENTAC CALLED REQ UPDATE 1039
2:29AM	PER 22 MORE DEBRIS MM 30 NB LANE CLOSED
2:29AM	NORTH END CLOSURE NB 1 AT MM 42*00 2314

The highway closed at about 9:30 PM, Friday, January 23. The
closures are at Mile Marker 12 in the south and at Mile Marker 43 to the
north. 

MM 12 would be 1 and 1/2 miles south of Plaskett Creek Campground, but I’m guessing it is a the Cal-Trans yard at Willow Springs. (Regardless of what CHP says about where the closure is, and they say Willow Creek Day Use), my experience is that the closure sign lives at Cal-Trans, and they don’t move it at night. MM 43 is at Deetjen’s.

Below is the info from the CHP website, but the area between the Hermitage and Limekiln looks completely shut down tonight.

This is what chp reports:

9:40PM	PER CAMBRIA TOW,ROCK SLIDES COMPLETELEY 1125 NB LNS AT RADIO ROCK (Ed. note: We call this Radio Point)
9:17PM	SEV SML SLIDES AT MM 9,COMPLETELY 1125 NB LNS (Ed. note: MM 9 is 1 mile south of Gorda, probably the Duck Pond)
9:03PM	MM22//BURN AREA,MANY ROCKS ALL ACROSS RD (Ed. Note: This is just south of the Hermitage)
9:03PM	2036 HRS:MM 21 NB LNS COMPLETELY BLOCKED,ROCKS STILL FALLING (Ed. Note: This is Limekiln)
9:01PM	MM 30,ROCKS CURRENTLY FALLING,LNS STILL OPEN (Ed. note: This is 2 miles north of Big Creek.)
9:01PM	2009 HRS:22 LAYED OUT FLARES ON NB SIDE THAT IS COMPLETELY 1125
8:55PM	SB LN IS PASSABLE
8:55PM	2008 HRS:MM 35 NB LNS ARE BLOCKED DUE TO ROCK SLIDE
8:52PM	1039 SLO TO ADVS
8:49PM	1039 RICH JOHNSON – WILL SHUT DOWN ON SOUTH END AT WILLOW CREEK VISTA POINT
8:42PM	1039 ENTAC
8:38PM	PER S2 VIA LL – REQ CT RESP TO SHUT DOWN RDWY, S2 WILL ADV 27-C
8:36PM	PER S2 VIA LL – TRY TO KEEP SR1 OPEN AS LONG AS POSSIBLE // REQ 22 PUT CONES OUT WHERE THERE ARE ROCKS IN RDWY
8:26PM	1949 HRS: TORI CYN BRIDGE,MINOR ROCK SLIDE
8:26PM	LRG ROCK 2FT IN DIAM PRTL 1125/ROOM TO GET AROUND

Today, we got just over an inch, added to the 1 1/4 we had previously during this storm, to bring the storm totals to 2.25″ (and it is still going strong.) The total for this season is: 14″. I cannot locate all of my 15 years of calendars, but I found a few and these were the season totals on January 23 from a few prior years.

2005 – 43.0 inches, total for the entire season, last rain 6/16 – 75.25 inches:

2006 – 25.1 inches, total for the entire season, last rain 5/14 – 56.23 inches:

2007 – 9.5 inches, total for the entire season, last rain 5/4 – 20.85 inches;

2008 – 23.75 inches (can this be right?) last rain 2/24, total 44.5 inches.

When I find the prior 10 years, I will post them, also.

Storm must have moved north-to-south. Carmel reported 2 inches overnight. Big Sur Valley reported 3/4 of an inch, and I am reporting 1/2 inch. More rain through out the day and tonight. Will update rain totals tonight, just before dark, and give the season totals to-date, also.

Just caught something regarding the possibility of snow down to 3000′ on Sunday. That would be moi. Hmmm…

I will be adding to this shortly, as I gather information, but as of this morning, in the Big Sur Valley, one rain gauge near the Grange recorded 1 and 1/2 inch. 

My rain gauge for the storm, records 3/4 of an inch, but the rain continues.

Highlands Peak in Big Creek reports .55 inches for the past 24 hours. Chew’s ridge reports .64 for the storm. Nepenthe reports 1.20 inches.

Finally, the weather reports state rain probable to possible to slight, until next Thursday. Tomorrow, chances of thunderstorms most of the day, until 10 pm. Fun!

As I listen to significant rain beating on my roof at the moment, 6:30 pm on Thursday, this is what the forecast discussion is saying:

ALTHOUGH ALL OF THE MODELS DEPICT RAINFALL FOR THE DISTRICT FOR
 TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY AFTERNOON WHERE THE FOCUS OF THE PRECIPITATION
 ENDS UP BEING REMAINS THE BIG QUESTION MARK.

Yesterday, we drove through the “netting” project. I got one good  photo of the helicopter on the ground, which I will post later, but here are two sent to me from Daniel Danbom, which are WAY cool. Thanks Daniel!

Finally. It will probably start sometime today, and is highly likely by tonight, particularly in higher elevations. (That would be moi) Half an inch is expected, so no big storm, but any is welcome.

From: Toby Jones

Nothing to add, other than we really need rain. We may have some coming up. Let’s hope.