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Rain turns to heavy snow in Truckee; flood danger passing

2012-12-02T19:44:42Z

By Barbara Barte Osborn
Bee correspondent

The Truckee River peaked Sunday morning without flooding these Riverview Drive homes near the bridge in downtown Truckee.

Near-constant rain turned to heavy snow about 10 a.m. According to the National Weather Service, the danger of flooding would pass when the snow began.

According to a 12:10 p.m. news release from the Truckee Police Department, the National Weather Service has revised the Truckee-area forecast from "flood warning" to "winter storm warning." Based on this information and the change in weather, the town's operations are transitioning from "flood watch" to "snow removal," according to the release.

]]> The Red Cross evacuation center in Truckee will close at 1 p.m.

Alex Terrazas, Truckee's assistant town manager, called from Highway 89 at 1 p.m. to say the Truckee River in the area between Squaw Valley and Truckee, which was predicted to have major flooding, "is running quick and brown, but there's no sign of flooding or damage."

He said the National Weather Service is reporting the river peaked at about 5 feet, rather than the almost 8 feet that had been expected.

"With the rain changing to snow, remember to drive slowly and increase the distance between vehicles," officials advised.

There were multiple traffic accidents reported on the west side of Donner Summit attributed to heavy snow.

The National Weather Service reported Sunday morning that Donner Creek was near flood stage with very high flows on creeks on the west side of the Lake Tahoe basin.

Rock slides were reported at Highway 89 near Emerald Bay and along Interstate 80 near Floriston.

Sacramento emergency officials: No injuries, significant flooding

2012-12-02T19:33:23Z

By Sam Stanton
sstanton@sacbee.com

Despite the length of the storm that swept through the Sacramento region, a county emergency operations official said Sunday that there were no reports of significant flooding or injuries.

"There has been some localized flooding in the south part of the county near Wilton and some reports of downed trees," said Steve Cantelme. "But there's nothing that's been reported of significance."

The rain proved a hindrance at best for the thousands of participants in the California International Marathon, but did little to dampen the enthusiasm of crowds that lined Fair Oaks Boulevard to cheer them on.

Some gawkers watched under umbrellas while others gamely erected pop-up tents or sat in parking lots under the open hatches of their SUVs and watched the colorful parade of runners.

PHOTO: An SUV makes its way down a flooded 32nd Avenue near Alhambra and Stockton boulevards in East Sacramento on Sunday morning. Bee photo by Torey Van Oot

Sacramento region battered by rain; storm total at 4.72 inches

2012-12-02T19:16:44Z

By Anne Gonzales
afgonzales@sacbee.com

A subtropical storm system dropped 1.82 inches on Sacramento this weekend, bringing the total precipitation to 4.72 inches since Wednesday. Some areas got drenched by a significant band of rainfall Sunday morning.

Snow levels dropped to Donner Summit, and rivers are rising, while drivers encountered lakes of standing water on roads and residents scrambled to clear debris from drains to prevent flooding.

Cindy Matthews, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Sacramento, said the three-storm system is "very warm, hooked in with subtropical moisture from near Hawaii, which is bringing us multiple days of precipitation"

]]> Matthews said rain pelted Sacramento about 8 a.m. today, with some areas reporting a half-inch of rain falling in about 15 minutes.

Small stream flooding could continue to Monday morning, Matthews said, as rainwater wends its way into creeks. All of the rain falling upstream was being kept by reservoirs, with no releases Sunday morning, she said.

Flood stage is forecast for the upper Sacramento River at the Tehama Bridge, and multiple locations on levees in Tehama, Butte and Glenn counties were being monitored, Matthews said.

Weir overflows into the Sutter and Yolo bypasses were expected Sunday, and Michigan Bar just east of Rancho Murieta was being monitored for overflow, she said.

The American River at Discovery Park at I Street in Sacramento was at 15.1 feet Sunday morning, and was expected to rise to 18.5 feet by Monday morning. The park is closed when the river reaches 19 feet.

In the 24 hours from 10 a.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday, Sacramento got 1.82 inches of rain, while Shasta and Tehama counties got anywhere from 2 to 6 inches.

Snow levels have been relatively high, with the storm bringing mostly rain to the Sierra Nevada mountains, but by Sunday morning, snow was falling at Donner Summit, at 7,000 feet elevation, the lowest since Wednesday, Matthews said. Kingvale, at 6,200 feet, was also reporting snow.

Heather Palm of Fair Oaks said her family awoke Sunday morning to find 4 inches of water in their garage, as storm drains were clogged with falling leaves. By mid-morning, the water was creeping past the porch, into her foyer and heading for the living room.

"My husband and father have been running from drain to drain, pulling leaves out of the drains, but three minutes later, leaves rush down the gutters and are immediately plugged again," Palm said.

The house sits on a downward slope, she said. The family just moved from North Natomas, where they were aware of the potential for flooding. Her father, incidentally, was "enjoying his first weekend of California weather," after moving here from Texas, Palm said.

PHOTO: Ed, left, and Shelby Durkee clear street drains of leaves just after a Sunday morning deluge in Sacramento's Curtis Park neighborhood. Bee photo by Linda Gonzales

Thousands lose power as storms lash Sacramento region

2012-12-02T18:15:22Z

By Darrell Smith
dvsmith@sacbee.com

Power is out to thousands of homes across Sacramento County as a rain-packed third day of storms lashes the region.

Hardest hit are North Highlands, where more than 1,400 SMUD customers had no power, and Rancho Murieta, where some 1,068 customers were without power, according to the Sacramento Metropolitan Utility District. Another 776 are without power in Fair Oaks.

Many of the outages are concentrated in neighborhoods in North Highlands, Foothill Farms and Carmichael, where SMUD reports 20 or more outages affecting hundreds of residents.

Residents warned of Truckee River flood danger

2012-12-02T00:02:39Z

By Barbara Barte Osborn

Bee Correspondent

TRUCKEE -- Emergency service officials in Placer and Nevada counties are warning residents living near the Truckee River of flood danger late this evening (Saturday) through Sunday.

People living in low-lying areas, especially in Truckee and along Highway 89 South, are being advised to take active precautions and monitor the conditions closely through media outlets and the Town of Truckee website: townoftruckee.com.

Flooding and damage to homes in low-lying areas along the river is possible and residents should be ready to evacuate if needed.

Placer County has created a storm information page that will be updated as information becomes available: http://www.placer.ca.gov/Departments/CEO/Emergency/StormsNov2012.aspx.

Sandbags are available at Truckee Fire Station 92 on Donner Pass Road next to Truckee High School, at the Northstar and Squaw Valley fire stations, the North Tahoe Fire Station in Kings Beach and the Truckee Ranger District office.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting the river will reach near 8 feet between 3 a.m. and 3 p.m. Sunday along Highway 89 and near the Placer/Nevada County line.

]]>
Flood stage for this portion of the river is 4.5 feet, according to the Placer County public information office.

Up to 7 inches of rainfall is possible along and west of Highway 89, the office said.

Motorists are warned not to drive into areas where water covers the roadway and to pay special attention in areas beneath recent burn scars, which could experience mudslides.

Officials advise residents living in an area that may be affected by rising water to take the following steps:

• Make an evacuation plan - what to take, where to go, how to stay in touch.

• If you think you might need to evacuate, go. If you delay, you will probably be trapped.

• No matter what happens, stay out of the water. Debris in flood runoff and high flows make it extremely dangerous to attempt to rescue people or retrieve objects.

• Stay calm, think clearly and be decisive. When in doubt, call 911 and ask for help.

Flood warnings issued for Napa, Russian rivers

2012-12-01T20:32:58Z

With another powerful storm heading to Northern California, the National Weather Service has issued flood warnings for the Napa and Russian rivers.

Forecasters say the Napa River is expected to rise above flood stage around noon Sunday near the city of Napa and near St. Helena, while the Russian River is expected to flood near Guerneville early Monday morning.

Besides the danger of flooding, forecasters are also warning about the possibility of mudslides and of trees falling in the area because the ground is saturated from the previous storms.

A flash flood watch is also in effect for a wide area of Northern California through Sunday evening.

- The Associated Press

Wind and rain down trees, limbs in valley

2012-12-01T20:16:12Z

By Edward Ortiz
eortiz@sacbee.com

Wind and rain caused the downing of trees and tree limbs including the collapse of a century-old heritage oak in the Briggs Oak subdivision where a 75-foot oak sheared off near the base Saturday night and crashed into the home of Folsom resident Mike Pilat.

"It sounded like a freight train," said Pilat, who owns the property at 102 Skidmore Court. "This is a big boy that fell here."

More than 2 inches of rainfall has been recorded at the Sacramento Executive Airport in the last 72 hours. The National Weather Service expects 1 to 3 inches of rain in the Sacramento region through Sunday evening.

A flood watch remains in effect for the Sacramento Valley through Sunday afternoon. The region is also under a wind advisory that is expected to last through Sunday afternoon, with southerly gusts from 15 to 25 mp., and gusts up to 40 mph likely.

Rivers in the region will be vulnerable to flooding in the Sacramento Valley, although most are below flood stage. An exception is Deer Creek upstream and where it makes a crossing at Scott Road.

The upper Sacramento River is expected to reach flood stage at a number of locations on Sunday and Monday, the weather service said. In the Sierras, damaging wind gusts and several feet of snow are forecast, with major flood warnings in effect for the Truckee River near Truckee, and some tributaries in Nevada and Placer Counties.

The snow level may drop as low as 6,000 feet in the Sierras by early Sunday morning.

Video report: Truckee River in danger of flooding

2012-12-01T19:15:21Z

Neighbors of the Truckee River are hoping they don't get a repeat of the Flood of 1955 as Fox40's Sonseeahray Tonsall reports.

Report: Folsom man's house floods

2012-12-01T19:12:59Z

Fox40 reports about how a clogged storm drain can do a lot of damage. Just ask this Folsom man, whose house flooded.

High swells on the coast come with warning

2012-12-01T18:06:40Z

Besides the possibility of flooding in local rivers, streams and creeks, the storm is also expected to cause problems along the coast.

The National Weather Service has issued a high surf advisory, with swells expected to be 14 to 16 feet.

- The Associated Press

National Weather Service: 'Biggest concern is what's coming in tonight'

2012-12-01T17:45:47Z

Another day, another storm.

The winter weather has returned to the Sacramento region, after a brief break Friday afternoon. Sacramento has received 3 inches of rainfall since Wednesday. The National Weather Service is predicting more rain and high winds tonight and Sunday.

"Our biggest concern is what's coming in tonight," said Stefanie Henry, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Sacramento. "Expect winds up to 40 miles per hour."

The latest storm will pack a stronger punch than the one on Friday. Winds could create traffic hazards and knock out power. The new rains could mean more flooding.

]]> Snow is falling steadily on the Sierra Mountains, with snow levels averaging between 7,000 and 7,500 feet. "Pass levels aren't being too affected," Henry said.

Here's a seven-day forecast for the Sacramento region:

Today: Rain. High near 64. South southeast wind 14 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Tonight: Rain. The rain could be heavy at times. Temperature rising to around 62 by 4am. South southeast wind 18 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

Sunday: Showers, mainly before 4pm. The rain could be heavy at times. High near 63. Breezy, with a south wind 17 to 23 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.

Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly before 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. South southeast wind 8 to 11 mph. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 63. Light and variable wind.

Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46.

Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 64.

Tuesday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50.

Wednesday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 63.

Wednesday Night: A slight chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 61.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 46.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 61.

- Richard Chang

Roadway flooding, minor accidents reported in Sacramento area

2012-12-01T00:21:43Z

Although rain tapered off this afternoon in the Sacramento area, the California Highway Patrol has been responding to a number of minor collisions and reports of local roadway flooding.

In El Dorado County, a vehicle ended up in a creek at Highway 49 and Forgotten Loop, between Coloma and Pilot Hill. CHP spokesman Officer Frank Rodriguez said the driver was trapped in the vehicle for a time and has been taken to Marshall Hospital in Placerville with minor injuries. He said alcohol may have contributed to the incident, which was reported shortly after 2 p.m.

For information on traffic incidents and roadway hazards, see the California Highway Patrol's Traffic Incident Information Page.

Caution urged along American River: Flows increase tonight

2012-12-01T00:07:58Z

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will boost water releases from Folsom and Nimbus dams into the American River in response to heavy rainfall delivered by Friday's storm.

Flows will ramp up slowly, starting at 8 p.m. Friday, from 1,800 cubic feet per second to 5,000 by 10 p.m.

The river level is expected to increase by about 2 feet, inundating many shoreline areas that are now exposed. People recreating along the river in the Sacramento metro area are advised to be aware and cautious of this change in water levels and flow velocities.

]]> Flows will be reduced again on Monday to 2,000 cubic feet per second so crews can safely remove in-stream structures associated with Nimbus Hatchery. Afterward, flows will be ramped back up to 5,000 cfs.

Depending on local storm runoff conditions, flows may be further increased late Monday or Tuesday.

Daily information on expected flows in the American River are available on the Department of Water Resources California Data Exchange Center website or from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' website.

Weather won't stop Sacramento's Santa Parade on Saturday

2012-11-30T22:29:52Z

By Richard Chang
rchang@sacbee.com

The 30th annual Santa Parade will go on rain or shine Saturday, organizers said today.

Featuring floats, marching bands and youth groups, the parade kicks off its downtown route at 10:00 a.m. from 14th and N streets alongside Capitol Park. The route travels west on N Street to 9th Street, north on 9th to L, and west on L Street to 4th Street. The event has been cancelled only once for bad weather.

"Wind is the only reason we would cancel," said parade organizer Laurie Hensley. The highlight of the parade is a special visit from Santa Claus. The announcers' stands will be at 11th and N streets and 5th and L streets.

In past years, the parade has drawn more than 20,000 onlookers. But Hensley said the showing tomorrow is "anybody's guess."

Sierra ski resorts cheer heavy snows

2012-11-30T21:31:10Z

By Richard Chang
rchang@sacbee.com

Sierra Nevada ski resorts are celebrating the heavy snow piling up on their peaks from a series of wet winter storms sweeping across California.

Though snow levels have been mostly above 7,000 feet with these storms, that is still low enough to drop a lot of snow on the ski areas, which are eager for it after relatively sparse snow conditions last year.

"It's been snowing all day, all night," Russ Pecor, spokesman for Heavenly Mountain Resort in South Lake Tahoe, said Friday. "We've got about a foot of new snow in the upper mountain. We could reach 18 inches by the end of the day."

]]> The high winds, though, have shut down many of the resorts for the day because strong winds affect ski lift operations. The closures likely will continue through the weekend.

Pecor isn't worried. "We'll give up a day or two of skiing to get 12 to 24 to 48 inches of snow," he said.

The operators of Sugar Bowl Ski Resort are also elated by the new snowfall.

"It's heavy and wet snow," said Peter Avedschmidt, marketing and sales manager for Sugar Bowl. "This is amazing snow for this time of year."

The wet snow is perfect for building up a good base to cover up rocks and other debris, he noted.