Tag: Big Sur

Storm Watch, 4/9/09

As of 11:00 pm, we never did get any rain down here on the South Coast of Big Sur. The radar images on the news tonight (out of Bakersfield, of all places) had the rain going east from Monterey, not south.

3:00 pm – Nothing up here, yet, in fact, a bit of sun, but here are some photos sent to me by Jo-Ann Allison. First, the now infamous car in the culvert, from the Highway One side. It appears to have washed down from the parking lot in the debris flow. Whoever owns this car, has lots of photos for his or her insurance company:

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And this one shows the line of cars, both in front of, and behind Jo-Ann, trying to get through Highway One, on Tuesday, around noon, BEFORE the slide completely shut it down later that afternoon. Also note the fence at the Lodge which was partially taken out.

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And here is one, again from the Highway and Jo-Ann’s car, showing how the parking lot and the Highway were “one” with each other, thanks to the mud. It also shows the loss of parts of the fence. (okay, there WILL be one, maybe, below.)

 

Rain likely later today. For now, up here anyway, overcast, foggy, and dismal. Matches the mood of my cold perfectly. Another day to try to stay warm, dry, and inside. I’ve been promised more photos this afternoon.

Photos of the mudslide

Tuesday afternoon saw another blow to the Big Sur State Park, who has suffered set-back after set back toward its goal to open by Memorial Day.  I think Mother Nature is telling us she is not ready for millions of visitors to her scarred and healing hills. When she tries to tell us gently, we sometimes don’t hear her, so she has to YELL to be heard.

These photos by Rain Greenslate, Chief of Maintenance Big Sur tell the story so well. She and Jo-ann are sending more tomorrow. Thanks ladies for sharing these with us and I will post as many of them tonight as I can, and more tomorrow!!

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Storm Watch, 4/8/09

9:00 am – The Herald is reporting the road expected to open by mid-day. Cal-Trans is predicting one lane open by about 1 pm. Stay tuned for further updates, as they become available. And the photo, when the internet fairies allow.

car-in-culvert2I do not know who provided these, it may have been Rene, but I would like to give credit to the photographer. Here is one of Highway One:

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8:00 am – I received an additional 1/2 in. overnight, for the storm, 1.25″, for the season, 33.75″

Here is a shot taken by Rene Robles of the parking lot at the Big Sur Lodge late yesterday afternoon. Be patient with me, if it takes a while to get it uploaded. Well, I will get it loaded when I can. In the meantime, there is an article in today’s Herald about last night’s closure. There is also an article about the fugitive who shot himself in Big Sur a few days ago. The mudslide article is at: http://www.montereyherald.com/ci_12096953?nclick_check=1

5:00 am – it continues to rain, heavy at times. While CHP is not reporting the closure, anymore, I cannot imagine that it opened during the night, given conditions. Often times, old incidents will drop off their website. There were unconfirmed reports that one lane was open for a time, last night around 9:30 pm. Will report more, when I know more.

Storm Report & Road Closure

9:00 pm – conserving power for posting tomorrow, first light, and also conserving my own power, as I have been sick with a nasty grunge for DAYS!! Check back in the am, and I will post what I can find out.

6:45 pm – I have received another 1/4 inch in the last 45 minutes. It is POURING, some hail, too. Imagine being inside a tin can with someone shooting BBs at you. That is what it is like up here, at the moment.

6:00 pm – This is from various sources:

Highway 1 is closed in both directions because of a mud slide. The CHP website has the south end closure at MM 44 (Nepenthe), and the north closure at 46, I believe, and cars are being turned around in both directions. Per CHP, closure all night, crew to clear in am. Reports are that this mudslide is significant, and one can NOT get through, even locals. Updates, as available, and my battery power allows.

It is being reported that the mudslide is at the Big Sur River in the State Park, and that the mud  is near the top of the K-rails surrounding the Big Sur Lodge, and that same water has seeped into the Lodge itself. If my friends who live near-by send me any photos tomorrow, I will be sure and post them. 

Also, it is raining like crazy up here, and I received 3/4″ since 8 am. Season rain totals tomorrow.

Storm Watch, 2/15

10:00 pm – okay, one last post. Forecast discussion, usually on a twice every 24 hour schedule, has been publishing more than usual, and issued a new report this evening, around an hour ago. It had this to say:

 

THE GOOD NEWS FOR THE BURN AREAS OF MONTEREY AND EASTERN SANTA CRUZ
COUNTIES IS THAT THE HEAVIEST RAIN HAS THUS FAR REMAINED TO THE
WEST OF THESE AREAS. LIGHT TO LOCALLY MODERATE RAINFALL TODAY
PUSHED 12 HOUR RAIN TOTALS CLOSE TO USGS THRESHOLDS FOR PRODUCING
DEBRIS FLOWS IN THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE BASIN BURN SCAR.
HOWEVER...RAIN RATES HAVE RECENTLY DECREASED IN THAT AREA AND SO
THE THREAT FOR DEBRIS FLOWS/FLASH FLOODING HAS SUBSIDED...AT LEAST
TEMPORARILY.

 

8:30 pm – nothing happening but the incessant wind and rain, so will check back in the am. Be Safe.

7:00 pm – I have been assured that the signs are still up for a “soft” closure at Bixby Bridge and the Big Sur Deli, but that they are not manned. Hotel guests with reservations, as well as residents are allowed through the closure, at this time. Also, when I first started watching the Big Sur River flows this am, reports indicated right around 100 cubic feet per sec. As of 6:15 this evening the rate is given as 646 cubic feet per sec. SurCATS is reporting the river has risen one foot today.

6:00 pm – CHP page is listing NO closures on Highway One in the Big Sur area. Don’t ask me, I’m just reporting what I find. 

5:00 pm – the gennie just ran out of gas. I will check in from time to time throughout the evening to conserve battery until morning. Stay alert, everyone. The road is going to decide where to put its own hard closures before morning. How bad it will be, and where are the only issues left in my mind.

4:30 pm – with the main portion of the storm coming in tonight, the confusion about where any “soft” or “hard” closures are going to be placed by CalTrans and/or the CHP is basically unimportant. If the storm lives up to the predictions, it will all be irrelevant tonight anyway, as the ROAD is going to put the “hard” closures where it wants, without ANY regard to the CHP or CalTrans.

And this afternoon’s forecast discussion states: “THREE GAUGES RIGHT

 ALONG THE BIG SUR COAST...ANDREW MOLERA...FLORES CAMP...AND ANDERSON
 PEAK HAVE ALSO SHOWN AN INCREASE IN HOURLY RAIN RATES DURING THE PAST
 HOUR WITH UP TO .31 INCH PER HOUR."

4:14 pm – CHP reports: “CATRANS PUT SOUTHERN CLOSURE @ THE DELI IN BIG SUR”

3:31 pm – CHP reports: “RESIDENTS ALLOWED INTO AREA ONLY.”

3:00 pm – CHP reporting “soft” closure from Bixby Bridge to southern end. No longer restricted to southbound traffic. Still subject to change, and still hoping to keep the closure “soft” this evening. For those of you not familiar to the difference between a “soft” closure and a “hard” closure, with a “soft” closure, residents, employees, etc. are generally permitted into Big Sur and tourist out of Big Sur. With a “hard” closure, only emergency personnel are allowed into the area.

2:31 pm – Cal-Trans to do a “soft” closure at Bixby Bridge to southbound traffic, all through to the “end.” Hope to keep it as a “soft” closure at dusk, but all subject to change as the storm continues. Having trouble keeping up this afternoon.

2:30 pm – solo vehicle accident – hits rock slide at MM 33, right near Esalen. Boy, Cal-Trans and CHP quite busy today. I hope they get their overtime despite the $#@& legislators in Sacramento, Maldanado included, who REFUSE to pass a budget!

2:20 pm – HIGHWAY ONE TEMPORARILY CLOSED IN BOTH DIRECTIONS DUE TO SLIDE AT HURRICANE POINT. CT working to get it open.

1:55 pm – another one just posted, just south of Bixby Creek Bridge covering north bound lane. We are liquifying, boys and girls! That’s 5 blockages of Highway One, so far today, and it is only 2 pm!

1:50 pm – two slides, one at Partington Rd. blocking the northbound lane and one at Graham’s Canyon (Grimes?) not yet blocking the road, per chp.

12:15 pm – blog back up and working. Rain coming horizontal, at times.

Almost noon, almost an inch. About to go off line, hopefully only temporarily. Road cleared at 11:46 am.

11:15 am – Trees down, just north of Lucia, blocking both lanes. Highway temporarily closed to give CT the opportunity to remove the trees. Winds picking up. Getting more serious.

10:00 am – CHP no longer reporting a slide at Andrew Molera. Take a look at the expected rain map, which has the burn areas marked. It is a doozie. Here:

http://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov/precipForecast.php?cwa=MTR&day=1&img=5

8:45 am – CHP reports a rock slide just south of Andrew Molera. CT should be there by now. I’m sure there will be other slides up and down the coast by this evening. If traveling highway one, BE CAREFUL. 

Additionally, there is talk of extending the Flash Flood Watch. Lots of tourists in Big Sur Valley this weekend, according to friends there. Hopefully, tourists will be encouraged to leave early, if necessary. Stay alert, everyone.

Also, around noon, wordpress, the host of my blog, will be making some code changes. They promise only a brief interruption. But you know how that goes!

8:00 am – 1/2 inch, so far. Significant wind, but not as bad as it can get.

6:00 am – rain and wind. Don’t know what time the rain started, but it was present when I woke this am. Rain totals throughout the day. NOAA forecast discussion says that the radar models predict as much as 3/4 of an inch an hour at times during this storm, which may stall over us through Tuesday. Oh, boy.

The Road

 

The Road, originally uploaded by wind_dancer.

As we head into beautiful weather, there will probably be little to report, other than, perhaps, a few announcements. Here, instead is a photo taken from Plaskett Ridge Rd.

Rain Predictions

PM Report: NWS reported this afternoon that it looks like the bulk of this storm will hit Santa Barbara, south:

BOTH OF THESE MODELS HAVE THIS LOW STILL WEST OF THE SOUTHERN
 CALIFORNIA COAST WITH PRECIP CHANCES JUST GLANCING OUR COASTLINE AT
 THIS TIME. BOTH MODELS BRING THE BULK OF THE RAINFALL TO SOUTHERN
 CALIFORNIA FROM ABOUT SAN DIEGO TO SANTA BARBARA DURING THE
 TUESDAY NIGHT/WEDNESDAY TIME FRAME WITH PRECIP AMOUNTS ON THE
 ORDER OF 1-2 INCHES FOR THIS AREA.

The above quote was taken from the link provided below. However, the precipitation forecasts, and general forecasts for this same time-frame (Tuesday through Wednesday) remain the same, with just over 1/2 inch expected for Big Sur. Weather forecasting is not exact, as we all know, so a watchful eye should continue.

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Afternoon Report: The NWS predictions in the last few hours have increased *slightly* the rain expectations for the South Coast, and decreased slightly the rain expectations for the North Coast. Right now, the expected storm is very disorganized, and hard to predict. It will be necessary to keep a close eye on it for the next two or three days.

Several people have reported that rock slides are becoming quite active in the Limekiln to Kirk Creek area. As Firefox points out, the warm days and cool nights, provide ideal conditions for expanding and contracting — thereby loosening rocks.

Also, I remind everyone that the Limekiln, J-P Burns, and Pheiffer State Parks as well as Ventana Wilderness are closed to hikers. As rain events increase and temperatures become more extreme, more and more damaged and dead trees are going to be falling, as well as rock falls, and debris flows.

I recognize that many people refuse to believe the danger, and feel that the agencies are unjustly keeping them from hiking their favorite spots, and are willing to take the chance that they won’t be caught, but if you do get caught or injured, you will be putting others at risk, including our Big Sur Volunteer Fire Brigade, in effectuating your rescue. Please, our responders have been so overtaxed this summer. Don’t add to their already considerable burden. We will have our hands full with communications, debris flows, highway closures, and every thing Mother Nature can throw at us. We don’t need you adding to that burden.

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AM Report:

From the NWS:

...WET WEATHER ON THE WAY FOR TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY...

...PERSONS NEAR THE BURN AREAS SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THIS UPCOMING
EVENT...

A DEVELOPING PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING INCREASING RAIN
CHANCES BEGINNING TUESDAY...ESPECIALLY FOR COASTAL AREAS SOUTH OF SAN
FRANCISCO. IN ADDITION...THUNDERSTORMS COULD OCCUR WITH THIS STORM
SYSTEM TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...AND RESULT IN BRIEF HEAVY RAIN.
THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE RECENT BURN AREAS MIGHT RECEIVE
ENOUGH RAINFALL FOR DEBRIS FLOWS TO BE TRIGGERED. AS THIS EVENT IS
STILL AT LEAST A COUPLE OF DAYS AWAY...PERSONS NEAR THE BURN AREAS IN
MONTEREY AND SANTA CRUZ COUNTIES SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE LATEST
FORECASTS.
Also, slight chances of rain as early as Monday evening through Saturday, although Tuesday and Wednesday rain is predicted as “likely.”

There is an interesting discussion about the various predictor models being used, their variants, and the “compromise” predictions being issued as a result of the variants in the differing models. For those of you interested in a more in-depth discussion, you can review it here: (Thanks, Charles Bell!)


And remember, the Harvest Fair for Saturday and Sunday, 10-4, of Thanksgiving weekend has been moved to MAF aka Big Sur Station.

Real-time links & Monday’s Storm

Weather reports are indicating that the Monday night storm will be much weaker than Saturday night’s storm, bringing us only between 1/10 and 1/4 of an inch of rain, probably after about 10 PM and the rest of the week is predicted to be dry. Good news, both.

Thanks to Tom Hopkins, President of the VWA, I added two new links under “2008 Winter Conditions.” One is from the automatic weather reports at the MIRA Observatory on Chews Ridge, and the next one is the NOAA river discharge rates for the Big Sur River. These are “real-time” computerized reports, and should be very valuable as we keep an eye on things this winter. Thanks, Tom!

Also, I added a “real time” link to the automatic rain gauge on the Big Creek Reserve, up by Highlands Peak, thanks to Dr. Mark Readdie!

We are getting a good collection of sources of information so we can be aware and prepare this winter!

Storm Watch, 11/2/08

DEBBIE’S STORY:

Got a call from Debbie this morning. She lives at Juan Higuera Creek and the Big Sur River, for those who do not know her. She ran out of her house last night with nothing but the clothes on her back. One car was up on higher ground, but if she opened the door to the Explorer, the water would have rushed in. So she set out on foot, through mud up almost to her thighs, with Molly, her younger yellow lab walking with her up to the highway, by flashlight. Billy, the older yellow lab, had to be left behind, as he cannot walk well, and is WAY to big to carry.

“It all happened so fast,” she said.

BUT Blaze Engineering came to the rescue — Tevye Morgenrath and Dave Martin — with their BIG equipment. Tevye got Billy into the bucket of the loader, and drove him up to Glen Oaks, where Debbie was!! Her house is covered in mud, the porch is pretty much gone, but she and the dogs are okay, thanks to Blaze, who also redirected the water away from her house and back to the Big Sur River. What a story! She will send me photos tomorrow. She wishes she got one of Billy in the loader’s bucket!

And all of us who love Debbie send BIG hugs and kisses to Blaze Engineering’s Tevye and Dave for helping our friend during this winter storm event! Thanks, so much!!

And here’s a photo from this morning, just for grins.  You’ve all seen my view to the north hundreds of times, during the fire. Here’s one looking south. That is Los Burros or Willow Creek top in the back.

9:30 AM Road conditions: As reported earlier this morning, the road is open again. However, as we all know, it could close again at any time, particularly at night, when Cal-Trans no longer patrols. For the next four months, use caution while traveling Highway One, particularly between Andrew Molera and Mill Creek, and particularly at night!

Juan Higuera Creek: Joyce Duffy just called with an “on the ground” report that the culvert and small bridge on JH Creek just before you get to The Grange is clogged and the river is now flowing OVER the bridge, through the parking lot of the Grange. Debbie is out, with her animals, thank god. Joyce just walked this area, and is going to higher ground herself.

Storm conditions: Reports from the north, and conditions here on the ridge, seem to indicate this storm is over, with a rainfall of 2.4 inches, or 2.9 for the season. 

Predictions are that another storm will be arriving Monday night. I have not heard about the strength or timing of this storm, yet.

Interesting to compare rain totals down here at different elevations. At Highlands Peak, at Big Creek Reserve, the 24-hour total is 1.78″ at an elevation of 2490′; at Plaskett Ridge top the 24-hour total is 2.4″ (mine doesn’t do 1/100ths) at an elevation of 3272′ (okay, the rain gauge itself is probably only at 3200′, but I don’t have an altimeter); Mining Ridge is 2.91″ at an elevation of 4790′. (Mining Ridge is at the confluence of Big Creek and Devil’s Peak, north of Cone Peak). Fascinating the relationship between elevation and rainfall. Well, at least to me.

8:30 AM – Just had a serious cloud burst, here. Probably 1/10 of an inch in 10 minutes. Is letting up somewhat, now.

7:30 AM This “unofficial” report:

“Just got off the phone with Tom at Lucia. He says CalTrans has been by this morning and road is open now. Just lots of rocks down but, not any slides to speak of. The road at the [Coast Gallery] had some big rocks come down there according to Danny.” Reported by Keith. Thanks for this, Keith.

6:30 AM – 2.3 inches for this Saturday/Sunday storm. Season total: 2.8

5:30 AM Still raining. Will get rain totals when it is light and I can see the gauge. CHP reports below on closure. As I understand it, MM 46 is in the area around Sycamore Canyon Rd:

 

ADDITIONAL DETAILS 3:57AM NB CLOSURE AT BIG SUR 3:55AM SB CLOSURE AT LIMKILN 3:55AM NORTH END CLOSURE AT MM 46 RESPONDING OFFICERS STATUS 3:55AM CHP Unit On Scene 

Storm Watch, 11/1/08

HEADS UP, EVERYONE!

jack is reporting: Posted by Jack

Mud is flowing onto Hwy 1 between Fernwood and Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park.
Redwood Creek is flowing over the culvert bridge/driveway inside the park.

9 PM Highway One reported closed 4 miles south of Lucia. Cal-Trans reports:   [IN THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AREA] 

    IS CLOSED FROM 7.9 MI NORTH OF GORDA TO 6.2 MI NORTH OF PFEIFFER BURNS
STATE PARK (MONTEREY CO) AT 2053 HRS ON 11/1/08 – DUE TO ROCKS IN THE ROADWAY – 
MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO USE AN ALTERNATE ROUTE 

 I am on back-up power, so won’t be reporting until tomorrow am, but Dave Allen reports that the rains are significant in Carmel, about an hour ago, which means it will be arriving here shortly. PLEASE, stay safe, everyone!

6:30 PM – we are just over 1/2 an inch at the moment, around .6. So far, so good. However, I note roadway flooding is being reported in the NB lane of Highway 17 up in Santa Cruz County at the moment. Hope that is not indicative of what is coming our way. According to the NOAA precipitation map (see 2008 Winter Conditions link) Ben Lomand has received 3.4 inches in the last 24 hours. Mining Ridge (closest to me of the permanent reporting gauges) is showing .67, consistent with what I am reporting.

1/2 inch by 4:30 PM

Only 1/4 inch by 2 PM.

11:15 AM – Rain has begun, a little early. What better way to spend a Saturday than watching the rain gauge? Oh, and you might note, I added a new link category, “2008 Winter Conditions” to the blog roll, and turned off some of the fire-related ones. Here you will find links to Cal-Trans, CHP, Weather, and surfire2008. While I will post important information from all sites here, you may also want to check yourself. The fire-related links be back next fire season. For the next four months or so, 2008 Winter Conditions will be much more important for us to stay abreast. I will add more helpful links, as I find them.

9:30 AM – Winds picking up. Everything is either covered, closed, and/or battened down. Rain gauge emptied. I am ready. Here’s the national weather report:

DAY ONE...SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT 
A MUCH STRONGER COLD FRONT WILL AFFECT THE REGION WITH 1-3 INCHES
OF RAIN POSSIBLE IN THE WETTER LOCATIONS AS WELL AS A CHANCE OF
THUNDERSTORMS. LOCALLY STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN ARE POSSIBLE
LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. THE RECENTLY BURNED
AREAS OF MONTEREY AND SANTA CRUZ COUNTIES WILL NEED TO BE
MONITORED CLOSELY AS HEAVY RAINFALL APPEARS IMMINENT.

7:30 AM – No rain overnight. Season total = .50 inches. Will report throughout the day.