Tag: rain

Continuing Storm Report & Rocky Creek Closures

Noon – from the 9 am forecaster a winter weather advisory for the Santa Lucia Mts and the Los Padres National Forest.

THE BEST CHANCE FOR SNOW WILL BE OVER THE SANTA LUCIAS AS BOTH THE
ECMWF AND GFS CONTINUE TO KEEP A BULK OF THE PRECIPITATION OFF
SHORE. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SANTA LUCIA
MOUNTAINS AND LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST AS WELL AS THE MOUNTAINS
OF SAN BENITO COUNTY AND INTERIOR MONTEREY. THIS AREA WILL SEE THE
BEST INSTABILITY COMBINED WITH MOISTURE AND LIFT. THE LIMITING
FACTOR IS THAT WHEN THE BEST MOISTURE IS PRESENT THE WINDS WILL
ACTUALLY BE COMING FROM THE EAST…LIMITING THE OROGRAPHIC EFFECTS
SEEN WHEN MOIST WEST WINDS ARE PUSHING OVER THE MOUNTAINS. NON THE
LESS THESE CONDITIONS WILL SUPPORT THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY
WITH 5 TO 10 INCHES OF SNOW POSSIBLE ABOVE 3000 FEET AND 1 TO 4
INCHES AT ELEVATION OF 2500 TO 3000 FEET. THE WINTER WEATHER
ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 1000 AM THURSDAY TO 1000 AM FRIDAY.

8:00 am, From NOAA’s 3:30 am forecast discussion –

RAIN WILL RETURN TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING AS THE UPPER AIR LOW DIVES TO THE SOUTH TOWARD OUR AREA. SHOWERS WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE ENTIRE CWA WITH THE MAIN FOCUS ALONG THE COAST…IN PARTICULAR MOUNTAINS IN MONTEREY AND SAN BENITO COUNTIES. SNOW LEVELS WILL DROP DOWN TO AS LOW AS 2500 FEET WITH A GOOD POSSIBILITY OF SUBSTANTIAL SNOWFALL OVER 3000 FEET. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THOSE AREAS.

They also mention the possibility of hail and lightning. Stay warm, everyone!

Also, Rocky Creek Road Closures:

Night closures next week are as follows:
· Sunday, March 10 through Thursday, March 14—9 pm to 11 pm with up to 10-minute delays;
· Sunday, March 10 through Thursday, March 14—11 pm to 7 am (Friday am) with up to 30-minute delays;
(Roadway will remain OPEN each night next week—no overnight hard closures)

Upcoming weather

Here it comes …
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
943 AM PST THU FEB 7 2013

.DISCUSSION…AS OF 9:24 AM PST WEDNESDAY…KMUX DOPPLER RADAR IS
SHOWING A COLD FRONT MOVING THROUGH THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA.
SOME LIGHT RAIN IS FALLING WITH THIS FRONT AS IT SLOWLY SLIDES
SOUTH. THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE MONTEREY BAY AREA
SHORTLY WITH LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS EXPECTED BETWEEN 1700 AND 2300Z.

THE PARENT LOW OF THIS FRONT IS CURRENTLY CENTERED OFF OF THE
WASHINGTON/OREGON COASTLINE. THE 0000Z ECMWF AND 1200Z GFS HAVE
INITIALIZED WELL THIS LOW AND SLIDE IT SOUTH ENTERING NORTHERN
PORTIONS OF THE CWA THIS EVENING. COLD AIR ALOFT ASSOCIATED WITH
THIS LOW WILL FALL TO -13 DEGREES CELSIUS AT 700MB. THIS WILL
RESULT IN TWO THINGS. FIRST THE SNOW LEVELS WILL FALL TO BETWEEN
2500 AND 3000 FEET OVERNIGHT. SECONDLY INSTABILITY WILL BE
ENHANCED RESULTING IN SHOWERS AND POTENTIAL THUNDERSTORMS
OVERNIGHT. THE BEST INSTABILITY WILL BE OVER THE WATERS WITH LI
VALUES RANGING FROM 0 TO -1.5. WITH THE BEST INSTABILITY OVER THE
WATERS THE BEST POSSIBILITY OF THUNDER WILL BE OVER THE WATERS AND
THE IMMEDIATE COAST. WITH THE LOW SNOW LEVELS AND SHOWERS EXPECTED
SNOW WILL BE A POSSIBILITY FOR PLACES LIKE SKYLINE DRIVE AND
HIGHWAY 17 SUMMIT OVERNIGHT WITH THE GREATEST ACCUMULATION OVER
THE SANTA LUCIAS. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATION WILL BE LESS THAN 3.5
INCHES IN THE SANTA LUCIAS WITH 1.5 INCHES OR LESS OVER HIGHWAY 17
AND NORTH.

I finally built a fire, as it got colder and colder. 3 and 1/2″ of snow? Really? Lord, not here, I hope!

Missy update coming later today or tomorrow, if the Internet allows. Trying to get a photo to upload! Grrrr … I got spoiled on the road with fast Internet!

1/5/12 Storm Report

Significant storm in our midst, and it really picked up here – as in very heavy rain, so heavy and loud the dogs are shaking – in the last few minutes. CHP is reporting that 101, north of Chualar is flooding, and cars are spinning out. I am trying to upload some radar and vapor satellite photos, but no luck at the moment. In any event, please be careful if you are going to be out and about tonight. Avoid it, if you aren’t already out.

20130105-205739.jpg

20130105-203227.jpg

How cold is it?

Up here, at 10:00am, it is 33 degrees. No snow yet, but I’m watching. I have a USFS announcement to post on that page, photos of the fuel mitigation project to post on that page, and a review of Big Sur’s newest radio station to post, but sluggish or non-existent Internet has made it all impossible, for now. If any of the information were critical, I would drive somewhere to get them posted, as I would with road closures or fires, but baby it is COLD outside. I’m not going anywhere, right now! UPDATE – USFS press release up on its page and photos up on the Fuel Mitigation page. That leaves only the radio review!

Storm Report, 12/2/12

4:00 pm – it is eerily quiet up here now, after days and days of wind and rain. The sun is trying to break through, but I have my usual condensation cloud trying to form, so I might not see the sun until tomorrow. I am going to take the evening off, unless something major happens tonight. Will check in with y’all tomorrow.

2:29 PM 13 [27] CLOSED – VINEHILL BWTWN 2101 VINEHILL AND CAMINO VISTSA/SINK HOLE/CLOSED TIL FURTHER NOTICE – NB LANE IS GONE (Due to road being undermined) this is Santa Cruz Co.

1:00pm- just over 2″ in my gauge since this storm started.,Winds gusting over 40 mph in the last 1/2 hour. Wicked up here! CHP very busy in Monterey – trees blocking both lanes of the 68e OFR from Highway One SB vehicles having to back up OFR. CLOSING THE OFR until 40 ft of trees dan be disposed of. 101 flooded JNO of Chualar and at Spence Rd. There is a mud/dirt/rock slide on San Miguel Canyon Rd. just to name a few of the serious problems developing.

Noon – power went out in Big Sur Valley about 1/2 an hour ago. Unknown how extensive. Been wicked up here – wind and rain – but I have no leaks, I have a great fire going, and I have power, as I planned ahead and charged up my solar battery yesterday. Hope everyone stays safe and dry!

10:30 am – NOTICE 101 NB and SB lanes in Santa Clara and San Benito Co. Flooded – proceed with caution! Friend just made it to town from Big Sur Valley safely. I am having Internet gremlins, again, so will update as possible.

7:00 am – no closures on CHP site, here, at this point. Santa Cruz has some mud slides. Not a good day to be out and about, but if you are, and can post a comment about road conditions or other information, we encourage you to do so. Time and place make the information more useful. Here is NOAA forecast discussion:

.DISCUSSION…AS OF 3:00 AM PST SUNDAY…RAINFALL HAS BEEN IMPRESSIVE IN
THE OROGRAPHICALLY FAVORED REGIONS SUCH AS THE SANTA CRUZ
MOUNTAINS AND THE SANTA LUCIA MOUNTAINS OF MONTEREY COUNTY. A
COUPLE OF GAUGES IN THESE AREAS HAVE RECEIVED MORE THAN 1 INCH OF
RAIN BETWEEN 12:30-3:00 AM…SUCH AS UVAS CANYON COUNTY PARK IN
THE SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS…AND CHALK PEAK/MINING RIDGE/ANDERSON
PEAK IN THE SANTA LUCIA MOUNTAINS. IN FACT…CHALK PEAK HAS
RECEIVED NEARLY 1.5 INCHES OF RAIN DURING T HIS PERIOD. THE
PRECIPITATION SUMMARY CAN BE ACCESSED AT THE CNRFC HOMEPAGE
(WWW.CNRFC.NOAA.GOV/GOOGLE_PRECIP.PHP).

SATL IMAGERY AND LOCAL RADARS ARE INDC THAT THE MAIN FRONT IS
NORTH OF SONOMA COUNTY…BUT WITH A STRONG SHORTWAVE APPROACHING
THE COAST IT HAS BEGUN TO MOVE SOUTH. THERE CONTINUES TO BE GOOD
COOLING OF THE CLOUD TOPS AS SHORTWAVE ENERGY INTERACTS WITH THE
WARM MOIST AIRMASS. EXPECT MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN TO SHIFT SOUTH
AS THE MORNING PROGRESSES. WITH THE SATURATED GROUND THERE COULD
BE WIDESPREAD URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING…MAINLY IN THE
NORTH BAY AND IN THE SANTA CRUZ AND SANTA LUCIA MOUNTAINS.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES THROUGH THIS EVENING…

Looks like another fun day in store for us, boys and girls!

Flash Flood Watch from 7 pm tonight through Monday morning!

…Flash Flood Watch in effect from 7 PM PST this evening through Monday morning… The National Weather Service San Francisco Bay area has expanded the * Flash Flood Watch to include a portion of California… including the following areas…Santa Lucia mountains and Los Padres National Forest and southern Monterey Bay and Big Sur coast. * From 7 PM PST this evening through Monday morning * rain is scheduled to arrive tonight and continue through the weekend with several storm systems. Copious amounts are expected in higher elevation areas…totals of 6 inches or more may fall. Given that watersheds are saturated from the prior storm on Tuesday…some smaller creeks may approach or overtop banks. * Storm drains may be overwhelmed and culverts may become blocked by debris…urban flooding is likely. At times… rainfall rates may exceed guidance thresholds for producing debris flows and slides in mountainous areas. Precautionary/preparedness actions… A Flash Flood Watch means that conditions may develop that lead to flash flooding. Flash flooding is a very dangerous situation. You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should flash flood warnings be issued.

Getting ready for storms

Today was prep day, and I had help – getting wood inside, getting two leaks patched (hopefully), making sure I had enough water – nothing is worse than running low on water when it is raining cats and dogs outside – cooking up a batch of chili, turning a Sat turkey carcass into soup for the duration, making sure as much is secure as I can. My job was to man the kitchen. 😉 An easy job, I must say.

All eyes will be on the weather stories for the rest of the week. Would love to share yours with my readers. Send to kwnovoa@mac.com

Here is the satellite shot, thanks to Dave Allen!

BTW, great moonrise tonight between the clouds. Wish I’d had my camera!

20121127-200003.jpg

Batten down the hatches!

Starting Wednesday, and continuing for 5 days, a significant series of storms is progged to hit our area. I am running down to Cambria to stock up on more dog food, gas for the genie to back up the solar system, and wine … Priorities, you know. Tomorrow will be at home prep, bringing in firewood, securing all that I can, as some of theses storms will bring gusty winds, as well.

FWIW, CT was doing some work at Mud Creek, cleaning up the usual mess. This could be interesting. 15″ predicted in the North Bay, 4-8 inches down our way.

Upcoming rain

Here are the current weather reports for the next few days:

From SLO:

“This cold front will weaken as it approaches the Central Coast on Wednesday night. Light rain showers will eventually develop late Thursday morning and rainfall amounts should reach about a tenth of an inch.”

From Monterey NOAA:

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
1048 AM PDT TUE OCT 30 2012

.DISCUSSION…AS OF 10:00 AM PDT TUESDAY…SATELLITE AND SURFACE
OBS INDICATE AREAS OF FOG ACROSS PARTS OF THE CWA THIS MORNING.
MOST SPOTS HAVE GONE ABOVE DENSE FOG LEVELS…SO SIMILAR TO
YESTERDAY WILL JUST GO WITH A SHORT TERM FORECAST (SFONOWMTR) TO
HANDLE THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. SATELLITE ALSO SHOWS A FAIR
NUMBER OF CLOUDS ALONG THE COAST AND WITH THE WESTERLY GRADIENT
FORECAST TO APPROACH 2 MB…GOOD CHANCE WE WILL HAVE SOME CLOUDS
REMAINING THROUGH THE DAY NEAR THE COAST. SOME INLAND SPOTS MAY
ONLY HAVE LIMITED BREAKS BY THIS AFTERNOON AS HIGH CLOUDS MOVE
ACROSS OUR AREA IN ADVANCE OF A STORM SYSTEM OUT OVER THE PACIFIC.
LOTS OF 60S AT THE COAST TODAY WITH 70S INLAND.

MAIN FORECAST ISSUE REMAINS THE PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM THAT WILL
MOVE THROUGH OUR AREA WEDNESDAY EVENING INTO THURSDAY MORNING. 12Z
GUIDANCE COMING IN NOW BRINGS RAIN INTO SF BAY AREA WEDNESDAY
EVENING. OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF ACTIVITIES ARE PLANNED FOR THAT TIME
PERIOD…SO WILL TAKE A VERY CLOSE LOOK AT ALL OPERATIONAL AND
ENSEMBLES FOR THE AFTERNOON PACKAGE. ONE GOOD ITEM IS 925/850 MB
WINDS ARE NOT AS STRONG WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE WITH THE 20-PLUS
KT EXPECTED TO REMAIN OVER THE NORTH BAY.

And it is raining, again!

Yesterday, I ended the day with .40 of an inch, and today, around 4 o’clock, it started up again. Dogs and cats are inside, we are settled down for the night, and hoping I have enough battery power left in my solar system to run a light and a tv, later, when the one signal from Bakersfield starts coming in, again – usually around 7 pm or so. I have had so much sun all the time since I got my system in late spring, I have no idea how long the system will last with no sun. I got none today, but yesterday, it came in and out, so I haven’t a clue … Nor do I know how to read my fancy-smancy system to know how much battery power I have left, so will just be judicious in my use of power tonight. That’s now on my list of things to learn – my system, and how to read it!

I missed the sound of a gentle rain on my roof – the sweaters and cuddling under the down – the sound of a fire crackling and spitting at me. I have missed the smell of wet earth, and the silence that lies under the sound of rain. I have missed the sounds and smells of fall and winter, and the slower, quieter pace that comes with the shortness of days. It is good to have it back.

BTW, bigsurdeb notified me there was an error on the viaduct project website, of which I then notified Cal Trans. Hopefully, it has been corrected, but the current overnight closures are still scheduled to begin Sunday, October 14th at 9 pm.