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Severe Weather Alerts Issued for North Coast: Winter Storm & Flood Warnings in Effect · KMUD News

• 0:00
  Speaker A: Multiple weather advisories are in effect this Monday evening as hazardous conditions return to the north coast. These include a winter weather storm warning for Del Norte and northeastern Humboldt, as well as a flood warning for the Eel river at Fern Bridge. For more, we spoke with Doug Boucher, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Eureka.
• 0:25
  Speaker B: Yeah, we've had a long stretch, you know, almost over three weeks of just really, no, hardly any rain at all. And then all of a sudden, if, you know, the proverbial floodgates have opened. You know, we just got this long, long duration rain event that started on, I believe it was a late Thursday night or Friday morning. And it just continued on and off with mostly light amounts of rainfall rates, you know, but heavier amounts definitely in the, you know, on higher elevations. And I guess it took two or three days for the, you know, for everything to saturate and for the runoff effects to start showing. And now we're, now we're dealing with flood warning on the Eel River.
• 1:05
  Speaker A: According to the National Water Prediction Service, the Eel river is forecast to crest at 21ft this evening, which could lead to flooding in the region. Their website states that at 21ft, the Western half of the Eel river delta may be completely flooded, especially if water remains at or above this level for an extended period. Areas northwest of Lolita and Cannibal Island Road are particularly at risk. A special action advisory has been issued for livestock owners in low lying areas urging them to take necessary precautions to protect their animals.
• 1:49
  Speaker B: Thankfully, it's only to reach a minor flood stage that's over 20ft and it should crest this evening and then start, start to recede tomorrow because the main band of precipitation is forecast to head southward and it still will impact our area with on and off shower activity. But the brunt of the heavier rainfall will be in Mendocino County, Lake county, and then into Trinity county as well. And we still are dealing with really low snow levels, at least in the northern portion of the forecast area through tonight and then evening through the day on Tuesday and Wednesday. And so we're looking at the potential for some snowfall at lower elevations. Let's say we're anywhere between 1,000 to 1,500ft. We could see some snowfall higher up as you go. Greater chances of accumulating snowfall about 2,000 to 2,500ft.
• 2:42
  Speaker A: Boucher also cautions that Tuesday and Wednesday could see an increased risk of hail.
• 2:49
  Speaker B: And the small hail can be really deceiving because you can be cruising along and it looks like it's a nice sunny day and you got some showers here and there, what I would call scattered showers, less than 50% of the area covered and then you have all of a sudden you just get a burst of hail and it just creates basically ice on the road. It accumulates so quickly and it accumulates on the road and the road just.
• 3:14
  Speaker A: Becomes very, very he continued by stating that rainy conditions are expected to remain.
• 3:22
  Speaker B: Through the week, Thursday and Friday. You know, it seems like, but it does look colder and so there will be the potential for some more snow snow showers as we head into the latter portion of the week, that being Thursday and Friday. So the details are still a little sketchy on that one, but it certainly looks like we're we're in a much more active and rainy pattern compared to what we were in most of January and so be careful out there for the next week or so.
• 3:50
  Speaker A: Winter has returned north coast motorists faced weather related impacts on roads this morning and afternoon with multiple major highways experiencing chain requirements, flooding and even slides. Highway 101 was closed for multiple hours after a major slide blocked the roadway and eventually affected the designated detour as well. Manny Machado, a Caltrans spokesperson, shared an overview of the incident.
• 4:23
  Speaker C: At around 9am this morning we closed us 101 south of Legate due to its active slide area. We were using Route 271 as a detour. However, at around 1pm today, an active slide there and we also had to close Route 271. Later this afternoon we were able to reopen US 101 to one way control traffic with a pilot car. Motorists can expect delays of up to 30 minutes or more, so this is a good day. If you don't have to travel, then don't travel and stay off the road. These are two active slide areas so the conditions can change at any time. So continue to follow us through Caltre District 1 on our Facebook and Twitter pages for social media for further updates.
• 5:13
  Speaker A: North coast roads can be unpredictable with rocks, mud and other hazards capable of closing major routes at a moment's notice. Machado shared helpful tips for drivers navigating these unfavorable conditions.
• 5:30
  Speaker C: Yeah, if motorists do have to travel, bring food, water, blankets, batteries, flashlights. Just be prepared for the unexpected. You just never know what to expect when traveling on the roadways, especially in the wintertime. So best bet to carry food, water, blankets, flashlights, batteries, anything just to prepare yourself for the unknowns. And if there is a traffic delay where the road is closed and that you are stranded, that you will be safe and you will have necessities for the time being.
• 6:06
  Speaker A: As of news time, Highway 101 in northern Mendocino county has reopened to one way controlled traffic. Chains are currently required in Del Norte county on Highway 199 to the Oregon border, and in Trinity county on Highways 96 and Highway 3. In Humboldt County, a portion of Highway 254, the Avenue of the Giants, is closed due to flooding from Red Crest to Pepperwood. Hookden Road is also closed at Eel River Drive due to flooding. The Wiat tribe is advising its members trying to access their homes on the reservation to take an alternative route through Lolita. To check for the latest road conditions, you can visit quickmap.ca.gov.