First Foto Friday of the year, and seems odd to be typing 2016 – or in this case – 16. First, from Mike Morales.
This next one is by Dan Danbom.
Both of these were taken last week, and they both show the spiritual side of Big Sur, which is a huge part of who she is.
It is unclear from the log if this was last night or this morning. Don’t drive on Highway One in the dark unless it is absolutely necessary … Cal Trans is not out after dark nor before sunrise as it is too dangerous! You may be taking your life in your hands – or at least the life of your vehicle.
Detail Information
7:37 AM 8 [21] AIR OPS CALLED/ ADVZD CHKNG WEATHER/THEN WILL CHK FOR A TC
6:58 PM 7 [15] PER S7 CHK IF AIR CAN COME AND CHK FOR THE VEH
6:46 PM 6 [13] 1039 UNITED TOW 1022 / BOT
6:22 PM 5 [10] [Rotation Request Comment] 1039 UNITED TOW 831-393-5000 ENRT
6:22 PM 4 [9] START 1185
6:13 PM 3 [5] 1125
6:12 PM 2 [3] PSRBY STOPPED TO PULL OCCS OO VEH
6:12 PM 1 [1] ROCKS AND BOULDERS FELL ON VEH
(list of units assigned mentioned at 11:30 AM)
This is what CAN happen, and did happen on Highway 140, the entrance to Yosemite this am, for those who did not see my FB page.
Some of you saw this on my FB page, but Deetjen’s asked me to also post it here so it can get as much coverage as possible.
Highway One report from my son on trip down Plaskett to Hermitage: 3:00 pm – Yup, sloshy and a [tourist] with flat tire near Kirk creek and two cal Trans trucks moving rocks mail man said rocks everywhere but able to get through no problem he said cal Trans trucks every couple miles.
From the City of Morro Bay…
This morning a water spout tore through the Morro Bay Yacht Club tossing sailboats around the yard and knocking over a light post. Doing damage on both sides of the Embarcadero.
Mid-Coast Fire Brigade:
Weather Related Activities
Fire Chief Cheryl Goetz from Mid-Coast Fire Brigade
This morning a decent slide occurred on upper Rocky Creek Road by the Hoist. We have been working diligently with Monterey County Roads and Cal Trans to stockpile sand for sandbagging in a few areas other than just the one on Palo Colorado. We are awaiting approval from Cal Trans to place sand on Hwy 1 just North of Rocky Point Restaurant.
Trees have also begun falling and we expect more to come down as the ground saturation continues with rain anticipated to last through next week. Drive carefully, especially in the dark as trees could potentially be entangled in live power lines.
Remember this is just the beginning of our rainy season and already we are seeing problems with the road, culverts, etc. Please prepare ahead of time by filling and placing sandbags for potential problems. Once the problem occurs it may be to late. If you have never filled or placed sandbags there is an art to doing it correctly for maximum effect. Here is just one of many You Tube videos on how to properly fill sandbags if you are interested. https://youtu.be/5fa8ApB_TFc
Stay safe, drive carefully and stay warm and dry. This is shaping up to be another El Nino, El Nino, El Nino for those that were here during 1998 they can attest that it was something to behold.
Cheryl Goetz,
Fire Chief
11:15 am – thunder and lightning just started here. The first round completely skipped the south coast, affecting both Big Sur Valley and Cambria, but not us.
In other news, Paso is not having a good day. One mobile home was blown upside down by high winds (tornado?) and another was hit by lightning, catching it on fire. Be safe and aware out there!
7:00 am – the storm woke me around 4:45 … Downpours, wind, and while I didn’t hear thunder or see lightning, others reported it. Fortunately, it has quieted down now. The rain total here, so far today, is .82″, 3.33″ for the month, and 16.99″ for the year.
This is yesterday, from Greg DeAlba, CT Supervisor at Willow Creek (looks to be near Alder, but can’t be certain). Annette Knight is running the loader. Go team!
“Today’s low pressure system will produce thunderstorms with
periods of moderate to heavy rain, gusty winds and possible
hail through tonight.
Snow levels with this storm system will range between 3,000
and 4,000 foot range North to South with another foot of new
snow for the high Sierra by Thursday morning. Total rainfall
with today’s system are expected to range between 1 and 2
inches.
Another low pressure will produce rain and fresh to strong
(25 to 31 mph) southwesterly winds on Thursday. Total rainfall
amounts with Thursday’s system should range between 0.50 and
0.75 of an inch.
Scattered rain showers are forecast on Friday into Saturday.
Clearing will develop Sunday into Monday as high pressure
briefly builds over California. Wet and unsettled weather is
forecast throughout the following week as the long awaited El
Nino type of storm pattern persist.” SLO Meterologist, John Lindsey.
Missed us here on the South Coast!
1.6″ last night and it is still raining! Expected to last today through tonight, so I guess I’ll call Nina and tell her to forget Friday. Last night’s rain brings us up to 30.10″ to date.
My records indicate that end of January totals were:
1995- 36″ – Rd. Closed in all 3 directions in March.
1996 – 21″ – mild year
1997 – 65″ – road closed in lots of places, but no rain after Jan.
I’m going to call Kimball at 7:30 to see what we hear about road conditions and whether school is scheduled for today.
Per SLO tv, January is our wettest month, but here on the South Coast we have had some pretty heavy rains in March. 1995 an 1983 stand out. Both times the Hiway closed to the north for significant periods of time. March 1995, [rains] took out the Carmel River Bridge. With the help of the Army Corps of Engineers, a temporary Bailey Bridge, and a contractor who worked his men (including Kenny Comello) 12 hour days they were able to complete the bridge in 28 days.
I should probably go back and read that journal [March 1995] but I remember it vividly. Cambria was flooded – under about 3′ of water. The road in from the East, Nacimiento Fergusson, all bridges washed out and there was a slide on the south end of Highway One.
In March of 1983 I was still in Orange County [my last year as it turned out] but coming up to Esalen often. That year, the biggest slide in history occurred at Julia Pfeiffer Burns. That slide took 14 months to repair, and it’s been unstable ever since.
At 5:30 am up here, the rain rate was a full 6″/HOUR. Now, at 10:00, it has picked up again. 
The National Weather Service has issued flash flood watch for Santa Lucia Mountains, Los Padres National Forest, Southern Monterey Bay, and Big Sur Coast from late tonight through Tuesday morning. If you plan on traveling through FHL, call 831-386-2513 for up-to-date on info on road conditions.
i will wait on the 1998 excerpt, as this makes my third post today – all important, and necessary.
9:00 am – currently up to .37″, .20″ of that received in the last two hours. I hope to post an entry from my 1998 El Niño Journal this afternoon. I also have a photo album from February of 1998 I am going to try scanning. I have not been successful getting my VHS into DVD format, yet. I may have to find a professional.
Here is one forecast for this week:
“Total rainfall amounts for the week are expected to range
between 3 and 5 inches, with higher amounts in the Santa Lucia
Mountains.
[There will be] periods of moderate to heavy rain Tuesday morning. Rain will turn to scattered showers and the winds will shift out
of the northwest Tuesday afternoon and night. This system will
produce snow across the Sierra Nevada above 4,500 feet with a
foot of new snow possible above 6,000 feet.
Another moderately strong storm system will move into the
Central Coast on the heels of the Tuesday’s system with periods
of moderate to heavy rain and mountain snow during the day
Wednesday….Snow levels with this storm system will be a lower, ranging between 3,000 and 4,000 foot range North to South with another foot of new snow for the high Sierra by Thursday morning.
Rain will turn to scattered rain showers on Thursday into
Friday.
Clearing will develop Saturday into Sunday as high pressure
briefly builds over California. Wet and unsettled weather is
forecast throughout the following week as the long awaited El
Nino type of storm pattern persist.”
