Storm System Shifts Towards Central Coast; Evacuation Warnings Issued – CBS San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – The National Weather Service updated its Bay Area forecast on Sunday afternoon to indicate that the atmospheric river has shifted its course south and more stormy weather than previously expected in the Big Sur / Santa Lucia areas in the Monterey County brings.
As a result, Monterey County issued an evacuation warning for the Dolan Burn Scars area and areas in and around River Road in Salinas at around 5 p.m. by Tuesday morning as the atmospheric river storm system is dissipating heavy rain in the county on Sunday.
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Forecasters say rainfall is likely to hit thresholds for increased risk of debris flow activity, especially in areas near the fires in August 2020. Land and people below or downstream of the fire areas are at increased risk.
Areas affected by the alert are Pine Canyon Road, Trimble Hill, Mesa Road, Manzanita Way, Wildwood Way, Redding Drive., Belmont Circle, the southwest end of Berry Drive, Limekiln Road, and the 800 Block of River Road.
Highway 1 will be closed at Deetjen’s Big Sur Resort (Postmile 42.1) and Ragged Point on Sunday from 8:00 p.m.
For information and resources on large animal evacuation, please contact the SPCA for Monterey County at (831) 646-5534.
Officials say residents should remain vigilant and be aware of any land movement. If weather patterns change or land movement occurs, additional evacuation warnings or orders may be issued. If you are concerned about your safety or if you feel like your life is being threatened, get out of the area.
Those who need extra time to evacuate and those with pets and livestock should leave immediately, officials said. Debris streams are fast moving masses of mud, rocks, boulders, trees, and sometimes houses or vehicles. They move fast and are often fatal to those who get in their way. The only way to avoid debris flows is to get to safety from a debris flow event.
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A strong wind warning was issued for counties of Monterey and San Benito on Monday from 1 a.m. to 9 p.m., with gusts of up to 60 miles per hour possible. There are still wind warnings for the counties of Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and San Mateo.
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It is very likely that the Central Coast, including Monterey, Santa Cruz, Salinas, and Hollister, will experience heavy rainfall, high winds, heavy surf, and flash floods on Sunday and Monday, and a moderate risk of such weather events as well as possible snow on Tuesday.
Light rain and snow fell earlier in the day in Northern California, giving residents a taste of what to expect. The multi-day storm could drop more than eight feet of snow on the highest peaks, drenching other parts of California as it penetrates south and east before moving out during the week.
“This is quite a common occurrence,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Anna Wanless in Sacramento. “Most of California, if not all of California, will see rain and snow.”
The rainfall will bring relief, at least temporarily, to the wider region hit by the drought caused by climate change.
This week’s storm is typical of this time of year, but notable because it’s the first major snowfall that is expected to have a significant impact on travel with ice and snow on the roads, high winds and limited visibility, Wanless said. Motorists had to wrap their tires in chains on some mountain passes on Sunday.
Officials asked people to postpone the trip and stay indoors. Rain is predicted to cause minor floods and rockfalls, especially in areas marked by forest fires. Strong winds accompanying the storm could lead to power outages, forecasters said.
Karly Hernandez, a spokeswoman for Pacific Gas & Electric, said the utility, which covers much of California, had no major outages on Sunday. Crews and equipment will be deployed across the state to respond quickly if the power goes out, Hernandez said.
On Sunday, rain fell intermittently across California. Andy Naja-Riese, executive director of the Agricultural Institute of Marin, said farmers’ markets in San Rafael and San Francisco would continue as usual in light winds.
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© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All rights reserved. The Associated Press and Bay City News contributed to this report
