Department of Water Resources
A daily compilation for DWR personnel of significant news articles and comment
December 19, 2007
1. Top Items
Flood fears fizzle as storm wanes; No major mudslides occurred, as the system proved gentler than expected - Los Angeles Times
Snow to sock Sierras; Storm bringing reservoir relief - Marysville Appeal Democrat
Valley's wet as storm whitens Sierra; Forecast sees 3-5 feet of snow in mountains, more rain in lowlands - Modesto Bee
Wet weather arrives right on schedule - Whittier Daily News
Storm brings needed rain to Valley; Fresno passes 1 inch, sets record for date - Fresno Bee
Rain spells relief after dry days - Fairfield Daily Republic
Heavy rain, snowfall coming with latest storm - Sacramento Bee
Associated Press – 12/17/07
By Don Thompson, staff writer
The downpour is part of a wave of storms expected to bring rain and snow to
"We're always happy to see rain here," state hydrologist Maury Roos said. "(The storm) doesn't get us up to normal for this time of year, but a couple more of these will help."
Since July 1,
Reservoirs were at 83 percent of average for Dec. 1, compared with 121 percent at the same time last year.
State water officials have worried that a second winter of below-average precipitation would further strain the state's water-delivery system and force rationing.
While rainfall was welcome in northern and central
Several feet of snow is expected at higher elevations in the Sierra Nevada the next few days, with a foot or more at
The storm complicated efforts to find a Northern California family that disappeared Sunday about 100 miles north of
Nearly 50 rescuers were searching for Frederick Dominguez, 38, and his children, Christopher, 18, Alexis, 14, and Joshua, 12. Dominguez's pickup truck was found Monday night parked along a mountain road about 25 miles northeast of
More than a foot of snow had fallen in the area by Tuesday afternoon. The family was not equipped to spend the night outdoors, with temperatures in the upper 20s, authorities said. Rescuers described the area as rugged, marked by steep canyons.
Meanwhile, President Bush issued a major disaster declaration Tuesday for seven
Statewide, about 76,000 homes and businesses remained without power Tuesday afternoon, down from a high of more than 600,000 homes and businesses that did not have electricity. #
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gIqj9If0XazeSoYijSrM92ANAHVQD8TK7LP00
Flood fears fizzle as storm wanes; No major mudslides occurred, as the system proved gentler than expected
By Molly Hennessy-Fiske, staff writer
With the worst of the latest storm over, the National Weather Service lifted flood watches this morning in
The watches, which began early Tuesday, focused on canyons and other areas at risk for mudslides after the recent wildfires. But no major flooding was reported overnight after the storm turned out to be more gentle than expected, the weather service said.
Nearly 4 inches of rainfall had been recorded in the
"While we did get well over an inch [in downtown
As of 4 a.m., she said, 1.14 inches of rain had fallen in downtown
The storm also produced 3 to 6 inches of snow at elevations above 8,000 feet, according to Stuart Seto, a weather service weather specialist in
A snow advisory issued until 8 a.m. today was extended until noon for mountains higher than 6,500 feet in
Though the rain is expected to taper off by noon, forecasters expect another small storm to arrive Thursday, bringing a 20% chance of rain. Those showers are expected to be much lighter, Meier said.
The early rains don't mean this season will be wetter than normal, Meier said. The latest storm cruised down from the
The California Highway Patrol responded to a slew of weather-related accidents this morning and overnight, but none were major and none were blocking major roads as of 7 a.m., said Officer Francisco Villalobos. The
The CHP responded to 280 collisions in
Villalobos cautioned drivers not to become overconfident as the rain slows.
"That roadway is still wet out there. You still have to drive as if it were raining," he said, particularly at freeway on- and offramps. "A lot of the incidents we're seeing are at the onramps, offramps and transition roads, and what they have in common is they have curves. . . . People take those curves too fast and try to hit their brakes while they're turning, and that causes a lot of people to lose control." #
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-weather20dec20,1,4198929.story
Snow to sock Sierras; Storm bringing reservoir relief
Marysville Appeal Democrat – 12/18/07
A slow-moving storm churning across
It also prompted flash-flood warnings in fire-scarred parts of Southern California and was hindering efforts to find a father and his three children, who disappeared over the weekend in a
The downpour that started Monday is part of a storm wave that is expected to bring rain and snow to
"It's actually a pretty active pattern," Kyle Mozley, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service's
The first wave brought about an inch of rain across
Meanwhile, the Yuba-Sutter region's second storm this month dropped nearly three-quarters of an inch of rain on the area but largely left local roads unscathed.
Rainfall measured 0.71 of an inch in Marysville from 10 a.m. Monday to 3 p.m. Tuesday, according to Johnnie Powell, a National Weather Service meteorologist in
An earlier storm dumped 1.15 inches on the city Dec. 6-7.
The only reported flooding was in south
The weather service predicts a 60 percent chance of rain today, increasing to 80 percent after sunset. Temperatures are forecast to peak at 50 degrees, dropping only to 46 because of heavy cloud cover. Rain will remain likely through Thursday and high temperatures will be in the low 50s.
Since July 1,
State water officials have worried that a second winter of below-average precipitation would further strain the state's water-delivery system and force rationing.
"We're always happy to see rain here," state hydrologist Maury Roos said. "(The storm) doesn't get us up to normal for this time of year, but a couple more of these will help."
Forecasters say a La Nina weather pattern likely means a wet winter for the Pacific Northwest and scarce rain in Southern California, where conditions are so dry that
Despite that long-term forecast,
There were no evacuations, but the Orange County Fairgrounds in
There were similar warnings in fire-damaged areas during storms in early December.
Flooding has not been a concern with the latest storm, as rivers in northern and central
Tuesday's steady snowfall prompted the California Highway Patrol to require chains or snow tires across all major Sierra routes.
"It's a vacationer's dream come true because it's happening right before a major holiday," said Rachael Woods, spokeswoman for the Alpine Meadows and Homewood ski resorts in north Lake Tahoe. "I think for skiers and (snowboard) riders, we're in for the long haul now."
Several feet of snow is expected at higher elevations the next few days, with a foot or more at
The storm was complicating efforts to find a Northern California family that disappeared Sunday about 100 miles north of
Nearly 50 rescuers were searching for Frederick Dominguez, 38, and his children, Christopher, 18, Alexis, 14, and Joshua, 12. The family, from
Dominguez's pickup truck was found Monday night parked along a mountain road about 25 miles northeast of
The family was not equipped to spend the night outdoors, with temperatures in the upper 20s, Paradise Police Sgt. Steve Rowe said.
http://www.appeal-democrat.com/news/california_57954___article.html/storm_rain.html
Valley's wet as storm whitens Sierra; Forecast sees 3-5 feet of snow in mountains, more rain in lowlands
By John Holland, staff writer
A storm Tuesday assured a very white Christmas for ski areas and raised hopes that drought won't beset
Dodge Ridge Ski Area announced that it will open Thursday, a little later than usual for the Pinecrest-area resort in
The Modesto Irrigation District reported 0.64 inches of rain at its downtown gauge as of 7 p.m. Tuesday. More important, the snowpack that will supply most of the water next year has started to build after a slow start.
"The reports are very heavy snow, and that's great," water use manager Joe Lima told the MID board. "They're talking about 3 to 5 feet of snow in the next few days."
The National Weather Service forecast more rain and snow today and Thursday, followed by a dry weekend and possibly another storm on Christmas Eve.
"We're very happy that we're going to be able to open for the Christmas break crowds," Dodge Ridge spokesman Andy Wyllie said.
Before this week, the state had received just 61 percent of average precipitation since July 1, the California Department of Water Resources reported.
That came on top of the below-average rain and snow last winter and spring, which reduced storage in reservoirs, though not to the critical levels seen in the early 1990s and mid-1970s.
"We're always happy to see rain here," state hydrologist Maury Roos said. "(The storm) doesn't get us up to normal for this time of year, but a couple more of these will help."
The National Weather Service said the storm series could last into January.
"It's actually a pretty active pattern," said meteorologist Kyle Mozley. "It looks like this could be a pretty good white Christmas. It's just one storm after another. The ski resorts are happy about that."
As of 8 p.m. Tuesday, drivers on Highway 108 needed chains or snow tires from a mile west of Long Barn to the winter closure 7.2 miles east of Strawberry.
Highway 4's chain restrictions started 4.5 miles east of
Chains were required in
Chains and snow tires were required on all vehicles, except four-wheel drives with snow tires on all four wheels, over the summits of Interstate 80 and Highway 50. Highway 88 is closed for avalanche control.
Tuesday's storm was a cold one, meaning that the snowpack will not melt right off.
"It's a vacationer's dream come true because it's happening right before a major holiday," said Rachael Woods, spokeswoman for the Alpine Meadows and Homewood ski resorts in north Lake Tahoe.
Flooding has not been a concern with the latest storm, as rivers in Northern and
The rainfall raised concerns of mudslides and flash floods in
http://www.modbee.com/local/story/156451.html
Wet weather arrives right on schedule
By Tania Chalita, staff writer
The first of three rainstorms this week made its way into the area early Tuesday, and traffic collisions rose significantly as a result, authorities said.
From midnight Monday through 5 a.m. Tuesday, 46 traffic accidents were reported in
Only seven collisions were reported in the same time frame last week, he said.
"We can't really tell you which crashes are directly related to the rainy weather," Villalobos said. "But what we can tell you is we do see an increase in the number of collisions when it does rain."
Rainstorm patterns through Thursday will likely bring in at least a half-inch to 1.5 inches of rainfall, according to Stuart Seto, a weather specialist at the National Weather Service's
"It's like three storms actually," he said. "One that was weak came through Monday night, we got a strong one coming through today, and we got another one keeping our showers through Thursday evening."
With rain in the forecast through Friday, authorities are asking drivers to be vigilant.
"People always say with the first rain, the roadways are oily," said Joe Zizi, an officer with the CHP's Santa Fe Springs office. "This year, it's going to be the first season of rain because we're still seeing a lot of oily roadways."
The roads get slippery when water mixes with leftover oil residue that builds up on the pavement, Zizi said.
As a result, drivers should slow during showers, he said.
"These last couple of weeks with the rain, our station has seen an increase in crashes solely because of weather," he said. "People are saying, `I was doing the speed limit and I just spun out of control.' Well that's just not a good excuse."
Highs should stay in the 60s through the weekend with overnight lows dipping into the 40s, Seto said. The clouds and rain will likely clear up by Saturday.
Seto said residents shouldn't be surprised by the recent rainstorms because this time of year is the normal rainy season.
But officials say there is a 50 percent chance rainfall will be below normal over the next four months.
That trend is a result of the ocean-atmosphere phenomenon known as La Nina, which is forecasted to last into spring, Seto said.
"Because of La Nina, they are getting a lot more rain up north, like in
So far this year, local rainfall statistics are following regional and statewide trends: Year to date, there has been more rain in comparison with last year, statistics show. Last year by this date, all local areas had received less than one inch of rain.
In
In
In
Following drought patterns, Seto said the numbers this year are significantly less than average. But that doesn't mean the area won't see a wet season.
"When we look at the season, though," he said, "we're actually doing pretty good." #
http://www.whittierdailynews.com/news/ci_7755914
Storm brings needed rain to Valley;
By Louis Galvan, staff writer
Not a good time to put those rubber boots away, yet.
The storm that drenched the central
David Spector, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Hanford, called for mostly cloudy skies today with a 20% chance of showers in the Fresno area and a 50% chance farther north beginning around Turlock in Stanislaus County.
Thursday, he said, might also see some slight weather activity, but nothing significant.
Looking further ahead, "Friday through the weekend will be dry," Spector said.
As of 10 p.m. Tuesday, the storm had dropped 0.7 of an inch in
The storm also brought snow to the
Some snow reports, however, showed 8 inches at Tuolumne Meadows, 2 inches at Grant's Grove, 2 inches at Lodge Pole and 3 inches at
Sierra
Chains were required on Highway 41 from one mile south of Fish Camp to
On Highway 168, the chain requirements began at Pine Ridge at the top of the four-lane highway. On Highway 180, the requirement began a half-mile east of Highway 245.
Spector had some good news for citrus growers, saying temperatures should be above freezing for a while, with highs in the 50s and lows in the mid- to upper 30s.
"That's very normal for this time of year," he said.
And while it's still a little early to bet on it, Spector said Christmas Day "right now looks like it's going to be mostly cloudy with a slight chance of rain."
As for fog, it's on its way, but not until next week, he said.
For motorists, that's good news, but the California Highway Patrol warned drivers Tuesday about driving too fast on rain-slick roads.
No major incidents were reported Tuesday during the rain, but the CHP did respond to a rash of collisions on Highways 99, 41, 168 and 180, most of them involving drivers losing control of their vehicles.
Tuesday afternoon, flooding was reported at
Brian Russell, the city's street maintenance manager, said the storm did not have the same force as the swath of thunderstorms that hit the Valley in late October, causing widespread flooding throughout the city.
Russell, however, said city crews would be available around the clock to respond to any emergency, and he encouraged residents to call the city's one-call emergency service number, (559) 621-CITY, to report any drainage problems or potholes or objects blocking the streets.
The storms reaching
They brought much-needed rain to depleted reservoirs this week, raised fears of mudslides in wildfire-scarred
"We're always happy to see rain here," state hydrologist Maury Roos said.
"[The storm] doesn't get us up to normal for this time of year, but a couple more of these will help."
Since July 1,
The storm complicated efforts to find a
Nearly 50 rescuers were searching for Frederick Dominguez, 38, and his children, Christopher, 18, Alexis, 14, and Joshua, 12. Dominguez's pickup was found Monday night parked along a mountain road about 25 miles northeast of
http://www.fresnobee.com/263/story/275891.html
Rain spells relief after dry days
By Audrey Wong, staff writer
'It could be dry on Christmas morning,' said Mike Pechner, KCBS AM meteorologist and Cordelia Villages resident, on Tuesday.
Rain is predicted for tonight and Thursday, with 1 inch of rain in the valley and 2 inches in the hills, Pechner said.
The weather system blowing in from
Friday promises to be mostly sunny during the day and partly cloudy at night, according to the National Weather Service Forecast Office in
The rain may take a break this weekend, so holiday shoppers may be able to leave their umbrellas at home. Weekend weather will be clear, but the mercury may drop to the low- to mid-20s on Saturday morning, Pechner predicted.
Showers from Tuesday and Wednesday capped off what was a relatively dry year.
'It's good rain, it's not causing any problems,' Pechner said. 'Ledgewood and
Other parts of the state may experience relief after a year of drought concerns. A slow-moving storm churning across the state is expected to drop several feet of snow in the Sierras. The system, which started Monday, may bring rain and snow into the new year, according to forecasters.
But a La Nina weather pattern likely means a wet winter for the Pacific Northwest and scarce rain in
City officials ask residents to bring their own shovels to fill the bags. It is suggested to fill the bags halfway so they will be easier to place and mold into shape, said Tom Borman, superintendent of Public Works. Residents are also responsible for disposing of bags when they are finished with them. #
http://www.dailyrepublic.com/story.php?id=101.5
Heavy rain, snowfall coming with latest storm
By Niesha Lofing, staff writer
While Sacramentans may have woken up to relatively clear skies Wednesday morning, looks are deceiving -- another storm system is moving in and is expected to dump more rain and snow in the region.
There latest storm is expected to ramp up later today, said Jared Leighton, a National Weather Service meteorologist.
"It starts out pretty light and will even be clear when the sun comes up, but by the afternoon and tonight it will definitely be raining pretty hard," he said.
The rain is expected to continue through Thursday morning and will then taper off by the afternoon, he said.
The Pacific storm system will move into the Sierra Nevada on Thursday morning, causing snow levels to "drop significantly and possibly below 2,000 feet over the northern mountains," according to a hazardous weather outlook report on the weather service's Web site.
Snowfall will likely last much of Thursday.
The region should have a chance to dry out after the storm ends Thursday.
A weaker storm system is expected to move through the region toward the end of the week, but likely won't result in rain for
"It will mostly effect the more northern part of the state," he said.
The forecast for
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/578502.html
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