Posted on 12/29/2003 4:22:26 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA
115 PM PST MON DEC 29 2003
...GALE FORCE WINDS AND VERY HAZARDOUS SEAS WILL DEVELOP OVER
THE COASTAL WATERS THIS AFTERNOON...
A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER NORTHERN CALIFORNIA THIS AFTERNOON
WILL MOVE SOUTH OVERNIGHT. GALE FORCE WINDS WILL DEVELOP OVER THE
COASTAL WATERS TONIGHT AND CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY. VERY STEEP
NORTH SWELLS WITH 6 SECOND PERIODS WILL DEVELOP AS THE SOUTH WINDS
STRENGTHEN TONIGHT.
THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE SOUTH OF POINT CONCEPTION
OVERNIGHT AND PERSIST OFFSHORE THROUGH TUESDAY. GALE FORCE WINDS
WILL DIMINISH NORTH OF POINT CONCEPTION TUESDAY MORNING AND PERSIST
SOUTH OF POINT CONCEPTION THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY AFTERNOON.
A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE EASTERN PACIFIC AND
COASTAL WATERS TUESDAY NIGHT WEDNESDAY AND THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM
WILL CONTINUE MOVING SOUTH AND DISSIPATE. MODERATE EAST WIND
TUESDAY NIGHT WILL FURTHER DIMINISH AND BECOME LIGHT NORTHEAST BY
WEDNESDAY MORNING.
____________________________________________________
24 HOUR PRECIPITATION TOTALS AND NATIONAL WEATHER SPOTTER
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CA
420 PM PST MON DEC 29 2003
....24 HOUR PRECIPITATION TOTALS AND NATIONAL WEATHER SPOTTER
REPORTS THROUGHOUT NORTHERN CALIFORNIA THROUGH 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON
DURING THIS MAJOR STORM...
...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOTTERS...
CHESTER............(EL 4500).............36 INCHES OF SNOW
LAKEHEAD...........(EL 1350).............25 INCHES OF SNOW
N REDDING..........(EL 700).............18 INCHES OF SNOW
REDDING DOWNTOWN...(EL 650).............8-14 INCHES OF SNOW
REDDING AIRPORT....(EL 500).............5 INCHES OF SNOW
(2 INCHES CURRENTLY)
BURNEY.............(EL 3158).............15 INCHES OF SNOW
NEVADA CITY........(EL 3400).............10-12 INCHES OF SNOW
FALL RIVER MILLS...(EL 3000).............10 INCHES OF SNOW
OAKRUN.............(EL 3000).............24 INCHES OF SNOW
MAGALIA............(EL 2500).............1-3 INCHES OF SNOW
SHINGLETOWN........(EL 1500)............. 6 INCHES OF SNOW
SHINGLETOWN........(EL 3300).............13 INCHES OF SNOW
SHINGLETOWN........(EL 3700).............24 INCHES OF SNOW
CISCO GROVE........(EL 5830).............18 INCHES OF SNOW
(42 INCHES TOTAL ON GROUND)
HILLCREST..........(EL 3000).............22 INCHES OF SNOW
DONNER PASS........(EL 7200).............24 INCHES OF SNOW
...VALLEY LOCATIONS WINDS...
SACRAMENTO EXECUTIVE AIRPORT........SOUTHEAST 53 MPH AT 242 PM *
SACRAMENTO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT....SOUTHEAST 56 MPH AT 235 PM *
VACAVILLE...........................SOUTHEAST 45 MPH AT 206 PM *
TRAVIS AFB..........................SOUTHEAST 50 MPH AT 322 PM
REDDING AIRPORT.....................SOUTHEAST 32 MPH AT 0545 AM
RED BLUFF...........................SOUTHEAST 47 MPH AT 0337 AM
MARYSVILLE..........................SOUTHEAST 56 MPH AT 1147 AM
BEALE AIR FORCE BASE................SOUTHEAST 59 MPH AT 1148 AM
OROVILLE............................SOUTHEAST 40 MPH AT 1101 AM *
STOCKTON AIRPORT....................SOUTHEAST 44 MPH AT 258 PM
MODESTO.............................SOUTHEAST 40 MPH AT 323 PM
BLUE CANYON.........................SOUTH 45 MPH AT 1217 PM *
* LAST OF SEVERAL OCCURRENCES
...PRECIPITATION...
SACRAMENTO...............................0.82
SACRAMENTO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.........0.83
SACRAMENTO EXECUTIVE AIRPORT.............0.77
VACAVILLE................................2.16
TRAVIS AFB...............................0.60
REDDING AIRPORT..........................3.23
RED BLUFF................................1.96
MARYSVILLE...............................0.50
OROVILLE.................................1.03
STOCKTON AIRPORT.........................0.49
MODESTO..................................0.32
AUBURN AIRPORT...........................0.47
$$
[SPSSTO / WWUS86 KSTO 1072743729]
EDIS-12-29-03 1622 PST
Major storm headed our way
Rains could bring slides, flash floods
Sunday, December 28, 2003 -
Mudslides, flash floods and snow in the mountains could hit Southern California tonight from a strong winter storm expected to pummel the state, forecasters said Sunday.
Sheriff's officials in San Bernardino County urged residents to prepare for evacuations in the burned areas, after last week's deadly mudslides.
Authorities said the San Fernando Valley could get up to 3 inches of rain.
Flash flood watches were issued for today through Tuesday night.
"It's going to be a pretty potent system," said Eric Hilgendorf, a National Weather Service meteorologist.
"The burn areas in Ventura County and even old burn areas in Los Angeles County are going to be susceptible to mudslides and flash flooding."
The storm coming from the northwest is expected to arrive tonight, continue Tuesday and stretch into Wednesday as it makes its way across the region. It should lift by New Year's Day, forecasters predicted.
Changing conditions make it difficult to predict how intense the storm will be when it arrives in Southern California, officials said.
San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department officials urged residents not to wait to evacuate if they feel threatened by the deluge.
Rainfall last week led to the Christmas Day mudslide at a church camp that killed a number of people, and left others missing.
"If rains come, people should evacuate on their own if they think it's prudent," sheriff's spokesman Chip Patterson said Sunday.
Preliminary estimates say the storm is expected to drop 1 to 3 inches of rain in the valleys, 4 to 6 inches in the Santa Monica Mountains and up to 8 inches in the higher mountains, Hilgendorf said.
A winter storm watch -- with the possibility of snow and heavy winds -- has been issued for local mountains above the 5,500-foot level starting tonight.
One foot of new snow could fall in mountains above the 7,000-foot level.
"These rainfall totals could cause flooding problems along with rock ... mud and debris flows... especially in and near the recently burned mountain slopes," according to a National Weather Service statement. "The combination of cold and wind could be deadly for unprepared hikers or campers."
Highs today in the San Fernando Valley area are expected to be near 60, dropping to the mid-40s to mid-50s overnight.
Tuesday has a 60 percent chance of rain, with temperatures in the mid-50s to lower 60s, and southeast winds 15 mph.
Wednesday calls for a 20 percent chance of rain, with highs near 60 and overnight lows in the 40s to low 50s.
New Year's Day should get a momentary reprieve, with highs in the mid-60s. It hasn't rained on the Rose Parade since 1955, weather service officials said.
But more rain is on the way, with forecasts showing a 30 percent chance of rain Thursday night and into the weekend, according to the weather service.
At the Phoenix Decorating Co., which is building 23 floats for the parade -- including those for the cities of Los Angeles, Glendale and Long Beach -- workers started putting the flowers on the floats on Sunday, earlier than usual, thanks to the cold spell that keeps the blooms from opening too soon.
Spokesman Larry Palmer said if temperatures dip to 38 degrees under the outdoor tents where flowers are stored, heaters click on to prevent the half-million roses and countless other blooms from freezing.
He hoped the rain would lift once the workers are ready to roll the floats outdoors on Wednesday.
"Once we start moving the floats out of the barn where they're there with Mother Nature, we definitely want them dry," he said. "If a float's sat out in the rain. ... it's not the same show."
The record New Year's Day rainfall in Los Angeles was 3.12 inches in 1934.
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