Tag: rain

Fall weather

3:00 – the sun has come out several times this afternoon, making my solar panels happy, then the rain has come, then the sun, then the rain. What a glorious dance we are doing today. The garden is smiling!

11:00 am update – WOW! Major storm up here! Heavy, heavy downpour, thunder and lightning right on top of me. Hail, amazing. One dog, Dakota, needs Rescue Remedy, and I have none. Even I am getting nervous. This is right on top of me. Oh, the joys of living on top of a mountain! All hell broke loose for the last 20 minutes (it is 11:20), but hoping it settles down. During one simultaneous strike and thunder, I yelled, “Holy sh*#” and scared my dogs even more. Now all four need the rescue remedy – an herbal calming recipe. First storm of the season is definitely exciting!

9:00 am – Fall arrived for me yesterday, when I took my winter comforter out of storage and put it on my bed and closed all the windows. The evening chill is here.

Today, clouds cover the sky, I woke to dampness on the deck, although no rain in the gauge, and at 9 am, thunder started. It is a deep, distant rumbling. I am hoping that if it gets closer, the rain will accompany it, so we don’t have a late lightning-sparked fire. My sweater is almost enough to take the chill off … a good thing, as my wood stove is apart, getting its yearly cleaning.

Every season is my favorite, when it first begins. I have tired of the heat and wearied of the dust, and thus, welcome fall with the joy of a change.

All the dogs, who have spent their days outside for months, decided today was an indoor day. They will add heat to a slightly chilly cottage. I will be keeping my eyes on the skies, as this thunder continues, but today and tomorrow, my dwindling appellate practice needs attention. It is winding down as the days of my retirement approach. A good day to be in my office! (BTW, the thunder has kept up for the last 1/2 hour.

Fire Weather

5:00 pm – red flag warning in effect throughout the evening in the Monterey NWS area. While I can see build up of clouds to the north and to the east, I have sunshine and no thunder here. Even my dog Dakota’s keen hearing is picking up nothing. She ALWAYS hears it long before me, and tries to crawl under whatever she can. My other three are not bothered, so I always keep an eye on her whenever there is a chance of lightning, no matter how remote.

8:30 am – This afternoon through tomorrow, very unstable weather, with possibility of lightning strikes. Wet or dry strikes (and models are unclear if the rain will hit the ground, but San Jose already experiencing rain this morning) brings serious threats of fire starts in Monterey County and the greater Bay area, even if rain accompanies the strikes, as fuel levels are extremely dry.

So keep an eye out, report any down strikes you see on land, if possible. I have to do a quick yo-yo south, but will be watching this closely through tomorrow.

Today was a soaker

Today was what Rock Knocker used to call a soaker – slow, steady, consistent rain. It is the type of rain that sets up slides, particularly mud slides, and I noticed a couple likely candidates just north of Pitkins Curve, south of The Hermitage. I think that one is called Paul’s Slide – you know the gray stuff. I’ve only gotten 3/4s of an inch, so far today, but it’s been steady every where I went.

I had to go to Monterey and Salinas for appts I have had to reschedule until today. I got to drive in all this rain all over the county. What fun. An amazing amount of tourists out and about taking photos in the rain, coming back from Garrapata Beach under an umbrellas and the like. An amazing number of large RVs of every type.

My road was the bad, the very bad, and the gawd awful. Thank goodness only some of it is clay.

I am enjoying the sound of the rain on my metal roof, the crackle of a fire in the wood stove, and the smell of wet dogs at my feet.

Enjoy our Spring rains – they will be with us most of this week.

The light … shines

Yes, the rain continues, but for a change of pace, this photo I took at Post Ranch last month, because the light was just exquisite!

Last Night’s Rain

Monterey reported .17 inches. I received .50 inches. Very nice.

Fall is indeed here, and summer is slipping away. Fall and Spring are my two favorite seasons up here. Fall brings cooler nights. The yellow jackets and face flies die off, and the fog on the coast is lessened. Fall brings the annual Jade Festival, and summer vegetable harvests. After the heat, dust, and dryness of Summer (not to mention bugs), Fall is always much anticipated.

Shortly, in a week or so, I will convert my links back to winter weather watch from the current fire conditions watch, so if there are any here you particularly want to view during winter months, I suggest you bookmark them until next year’s fire season begins.

Also, as I noted in another post, I have added a hierarchial category system to my blog, found in the side bar at the bottom. Here, you can click on a category — fire season for the Chalk Fire reports, or Jade Festival for last year’s report — and see all the posts that pertain to that category. Many posts are categorized in several areas and most posts are categorized, although I wasn’t as good about that in the beginning, but I’m working on that.

Rain finds Big Sur

Around 7:30 pm, rain fell in Big Sur proper. Two hours later, it is still raining. Yippee!! Down here, I’ve had a little drizzle, a few drops, but nothing one could call rain. I’m hoping that changes in the next hour, although … now that I think about it, I think I left my Jeep windows open. Oh, well!

Just before 10 pm the rain found me. I am happy, happy, happy, even if my windows are open!!

Here is a radar shot from about 9:30 pm:
Radar

And here is one from about 10:30 pm:
raadar 10-30 pm

If you would like to see the most current radar shot, you can go to this website:
weather radar

Oh, sh**, I just remembered all the windows in my office — including the window by my desk (and therefore the computer) are open!! And it is really raining!!

Almost midnight, and I am turning into a pumpkin. The rain continues. Happy Day! I cannot tell you how blessed I feel to be dust free for even one DAY!

On a different note: To make it easier to find things on my blog, I have also created hierarchial categories, which are displayed on the side bar to the right, all the way at the bottom. So, if you wish to see photos from the Jade Festival 2008, or weather conditions from last year, you can click on the category and see what I have posted. I haven’t always been good about adding categories, but have done most.

5/1 Updates

Quick report:

11:30 am – The much anticipated, and welcomed rain has begun, thankfully, very gentle drizzle. Hopefully, more to come.

Dakota continues to heal, but very slowly. She will get the drains removed Monday, but in the meantime, I try to keep them clean, keep her quiet and calm, and give her medications twice a day. Walk her carefully four times a day. Just about a full-time job taking care of her, right now, making sure she doesn’t lick or try to pull the drains out. She cannot wear a collar, it puts too much stress on her.

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.

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.

********************************************************************************************

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.

*********************************************************************************************

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.

Shoring up the homefront

After the elections, and after the floods, I looked back, and realized I had not posted any photos. Debbie sent me these. They were taken yesterday.

After the flood – clean-up and preparation at Debbie’s house. More great work by Blaze!

dscn0354These sandbags go all around the front and side of the house. I don’t know about the back.

dscn03551Sandbagging the house

dscn0349Setting up the berms