The Office of Emergency Services has been in service in Humboldt County due to the earthquake. There have been several aftershocks, including one New Year’s Day of 5.4 magnitude. Since the December 20th 6.4 earthquake there have been more than 200 aftershocks. The community, on edge, has been told to stay ready to drop, cover, and hold on. Over 70 structures were found to be unsafe too as damage assessments continue. The Local Assistance Center opened last weekend, and the Red Cross Overnight Shelter is still open at a middle school in Rio Dell.
Amidst the crazy weather, a bit of news you may have missed, both the Sheriff and DA have been sworn in for new terms. It was a packed room in Mendocino Superior Court when the District Attorney, David Eyster took the oath of office for his fourth term. The Sheriff, Matt Kendall was sworn in for his first term voted into office, even though he had no competitor. But his last term he was appointed. The oaths were taken Tuesday just before the storm started pounded the area.
A man from Garberville charged in the shooting death of another man a year ago had his trial delayed. Jake Combs is accused of shooting Trevor Earley last Jan. 6th. His trial was set to start this month, but it’s been continued as the defense needs to get expert witnesses ready. That includes a lab in Virginia who’s tasked with analyzing shell casings from the gun that may have been used in the murder. Enough evidence against Combs was found at the preliminary hearing to try him in the case after deputies from Humboldt County said he admitted to the murder after Earley threatened his dog. The trial moves to May.
More rain and wind is expected through the week so Lake County has set up some places for residents to get away from extreme weather. They say they are not for overnight services, but for daytime shelter or charging electronic devices and the like. Lake County’s four Public Libraries are open for normal business hours. And Lake County Behavioral Health Services also has their peer support centers open with water and light snacks for guests and restrooms. There are locations in Clearlake Oaks, Lakeport and Clearlake.
The Governor has declared a State of Emergency as the heaviest rains are upon us. The atmospheric river system was bringing heavy rains overnight into today and strong winds through Sunday. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Wind Advisory through this morning at 10:00am, and a Flood Watch until 4:00pm. Yesterday the Governor responded to the storms with the proclamation to free up services and crews in response to the storms. The head of the California Department of Water Resources reports the state’s working with federal partners, with an eye on the state’s reservoirs and flood control system. Another storm system could be barreling into us again this weekend with more rain and wind.
Trees and power lines were down as damaging winds and pounding rain hit the North Coast. The same for Central Calif, where roads were also under water and trees came down along with power lines. The weather system known as a “bomb cyclone” triggered an evacuation warning for low lying areas along the Russian River from near Healdsburg out to Jenner on the coast. Schools were closed and PG&E reported almost 20,000 customers without power in the North Bay alone. In Guerneville, the Russian River was rising several feet above flood stage. Sonoma County officials warned people to leave the lower river area including the towns of Rio Nido, Guerneville and Monte Rio. They’ve set up an evacuation center for folks at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds.
A woman from Mendocino County is recorded as the oldest person in the nation. 114-year-old S. Edie Ceccarelli of Willits is now the oldest person in the country after a 115-year-old man from Iowa, the previous oldest person, died Tuesday. Ceccarelli is about to reach the same age, as she was born in Willits February 5th of 1908. She’s also now the verified fourth-oldest person on earth.
In Lake County there are reports of thousands of people without power and in Mendocino County trees coming down on roads, and one into a home in Ukiah. PG&E shows blackouts across California due to the Bomb Cyclone. In Lake County they were around the Lake and in Kelseyville and south to the Cobb, Hidden Valley Lake and Middletown.
A mudslide has been reported on Highway 101 between Hopland and Cloverdale. The slide caused a solo car crash, closing at least one lane of traffic last night near the Mendocino/Sonoma County line. One person was reported as trapped in their car with moderate injuries. They were removed and road workers were clearing the vehicle and mud and debris from the area. Caltrans also reported last night they had closed State Route 128, from the Route 1 junction to Navarro (PM 0-12) due to dangerous conditions. They were expecting to reopen during daylight hours. That is the primary east-west corridor from Mendocino County’s coast to inland valleys.
A Flood Watch has been issued for Mendocino County due to the Bomb-Cyclone, or what forecasters are calling an “extra-tropical cyclone”. Heavy rain and flooding along with strong to damaging winds, high surf, isolated strong thunderstorms and heavy, high elevation snow were predicted. Officials in Mendocino County were telling residents to be prepared for flooding on the road, debris, and downed trees. As we reported yesterday there were also flood watches for the Russian River at Hopland, the Navarro River at Navarro, and the southern portions of the August Complex Fire burn area. Yesterday morning the weather service said they could spot signs of the approaching extra-tropical cyclone with elevated gusts of wind and the most moisture in the southern half of the region with 3 to 4 inches of rain at lower elevations, and over six inches at higher elevations. But the rains were supposed to ease tonight and tomorrow before starting back up again tomorrow night through Saturday.
If you need to hit the bank and Savings Bank is where you go, they’re open only until 3pm due to the storm today in South Ukiah, Redwood Valley, Willits, Laytonville, Mendocino. All other locations are open regular hours.
At least one person has died after rain and wind slammed Sonoma County in a Russian River community. There were downed trees, power outages and blocked roads as the river continued to rise above flood stage. Forecasters said they thought the river would surge again after getting to almost 40 feet early Monday. There were revised reports by forecasters of light flooding in Guerneville with the possibility of the river going around four feet above flood stage Monday, rather than eight feet. It should hit flood stage there Sunday afternoon, not this afternoon as previously thought. But power is out in much of the area with a new rainstorm headed to the area tomorrow afternoon into Saturday. Thousands of people along the river and its tributaries between Healdsburg and Jenner below the 40-foot level were warned they may have to evacuate and to be prepared.
