Evacuation warnings issued for Bolsa Knolls and areas around Carmel River.

Before the rains even began for a new storm expected in Monterey County on Saturday, Feb. 3, evacuation warnings began appearing around 1pm, first for the Bolsa Knolls area in Salinas, then for some areas surrounding Carmel River in Carmel Valley. Both warnings are in place until further notice.

An evacuation warning means to be prepared by gathering items you may need to take with you should you have to leave quickly, whether after being ordered to leave by law enforcement, or because conditions change quickly and it's no longer safe to remain. 

The Bolsa Knolls neighborhood flooded last winter during the series of storms that came through the region. On Friday, county officials in a virtual press conference said Bolsa Knolls could flood again over the weekend, and recommended residents prepare by lining up sandbags. 

In Carmel Valley, the evacuation warning areas are off of Carmel Valley Road, the areas of Paso Hondo and Camp Stefffani.

The county's emergency information map shows Scenic Road, near the mouth of the Carmel River at Carmel River State Beach, as closed. 

Other low-lying roads were preemptively closed ahead of the storm, county officials said on Friday. 

The Pajaro River may reach the monitor stage, at 22 feet, but as of Friday was not expected to reach even a minor flood stage. Earlier in the week a meteorologist with the National Weather Service told the Weekly that the chance of that river flooding was around 16 percent.

The county unveiled a new website on Friday, readymontereycounty.org, with links to updated emergency information, including evacuation information and road closures, as well as info on how to be prepared and what to do after an emergency event. 

People are also encourage to sign up for emergency text alerts. Info on how to do that can be found here.