The first day of spring is just about a week away, but don't let the calendar fool you: It is still very much winter weather on California's Central Coast.
With little respite from the last storm, a weather system known as an atmospheric river is expected to arrive in Monterey County on the evening of Monday, March 13, and last into Tuesday.
Rainfall and high winds are predicted by the National Weather Service, which has issued a high wind warning for the region. Wind speeds are expected to pick up overnight and early Tuesday morning, with sustained speeds around 20 to 40 mph with gusts up to 50 mph. On higher terrain (above 1,000 feet in elevation), gusts could be as high as 70mph.
This is especially hazardous given the previous rainfall, which means soils and trees are already saturated—a risk factor for falling. "With soils being extremely saturated, trees are very vulnerable to go down especially with these strong winds," the National Weather Service reports.
That's concerning for potential damage to infrastructure like roads and power lines—and widespread power outages that began all over the Monterey Peninsula and surrounding area on Thursday, March 9, are continuing for some 7,000 households.
Rainfall from Monday evening through Wednesday morning is expected to total between 1.5 and 3 inches for most of the Monterey Bay area; higher rainfall of up to 6 inches is predicted for the Santa Lucia Mountains, and up to 4 inches along the Big Sur coast.
The new rainfall also means the potential for additional flood hazards, and additional evacuations along Monterey County's rivers. On Sunday, March 12, officials issued a new evacuation order along the Salinas River for communities north of King City, all the way to Spreckels.
Forecasters offer a glimmer of hope for sunshine in the near future: "A brief break in the rain for Wednesday evening and Thursday with chances for some sun Thursday afternoon," the NWS predicts. "Another round of quick moving rain is in the forecast for Friday with calmer weather this next weekend."
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