Closures abound on a rainy day with uncertain conditions.

For some urban residents who are not under evacuation orders, the day may feel almost like a regular rainy day even as communities throughout Monterey County are under evacuation orders.  

However, weather-related closures of institutions and services are widespread. 

They include schools in Pajaro Valley Unified, Monterey Peninsula Unified, Pacific Grove Unified and Carmel Unified school districts, each of which has taken a wait-and-see approach to Tuesday, Jan. 10.

In a message sent to the school community on Monday morning at 7:10am, the MPUSD administration wrote: "The safety and well being of students and staff are our highest priority. Due to the flash flood warnings that were just sent out to cellular devices in the region, we have made the difficult decision to close our schools today."

In a follow-up message at 12:30, they wrote: "It is always our intent to keep schools in session unless there is a threat to the safety of students and staff.

"At approximately 6:46am the National Weather Service sent out an emergency alert to cellular devices indicating a flash flood warning and urging individuals to not attempt to travel unless they were fleeing the area or under an evacuation order. It was at this time that MPUSD made the difficult decision to close schools because many of our students and staff reside in the impacted areas and would not be able to travel to school safely due to the emergency alert." MPUSD officials will announce by 6pm tonight whether school will be in session tomorrow. 

Carmel schools were scheduled to be open just for professional development, not students (following winter break) on Jan. 9. "It is likely that the district (all schools) will be closed on Tuesday, Jan 10 to all students and staff," CUSD announced on Sunday. "We acknowledge the need for families to make alternate arrangements. therefore, we will always message out as early as possible. However, weather changes quickly and forecasts are not always accurate, so we want to wait until we are sure the weather is both accurate and significant before making a decision and messaging out."

The Monterey County Board of Supervisors is set to meet for the first time in 2023 tomorrow, Tuesday, Jan. 10, but has postponed swearing-in ceremonies for new electeds (including County Supervisor Glenn Church, Sheriff Tina Nieto and Assessor/Clerk-Recorder Marina Camacho) in the morning. (All have already been privately sworn in and begun serving in their leadership roles.) The board will still meet at 1:30pm.

Most county parks remain closed. Garland Ranch and Palo Corona regional parks are closed due to flooding, as well as the administrative offices of Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District.

In Big Sur, Andrew Molera State Park and Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park are closed due to weather. In addition, Point Lobos State Natural Reserve just south of Carmel has been closed since Friday and will remain so at least until tomorrow, Jan. 10.

Road closures are ever-changing, as well. For the latest on county road closures, click here.