South Coast Threatened by New Lightning Storm

August 15, 2008

11:20AM August 15 Update

The Lightning Tracker indicates that the most active parts of the storm are now offshore and weakening.

August 15, 10:45AM

Over 2,500 lightening strikes have been reported in Santa Barbara & San Luis Obispo Counties this morning with only light rain. Multiple fires have been started (including one on the north side of Hwy. 101 at Cuesta Grade). The storm is reported to be moving north …

Here’s hoping it runs out of steam or moves out to sea before it reaches the unburned portions of the south coast.

From the National Weather Service:

AT 915 AM...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THE STRONGEST STORM JUST
SOUTH OF CAMBRIA...AFFECTING HIGHWAYS 1 AND 46. THESE STORMS WILL BE
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING RAINFALL UP TO TWO TENTHS OF AN INCH...AS
WELL AS DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. WHILE THIS IMPULSE OF
STORMS IS EXPECTED TO MOVE OFF THE COAST BY AFTERNOON...THERE IS A
SLIGHT CHANCE OF ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY ACROSS THE
MOUNTAINS LATER THIS AFTERNOON.

 


Slides, Floods & Debris Flows: Will the Coming Winter be Worse than the Fires?

August 5, 2008

Burned slopes, like the ones in this photo, are ripe for landslides – in fact rivers of gravel and small stones are already flowing down them. Read the rest of this entry »


Our Favorite Fire-Related Rural Legends

July 30, 2008

As with any emotionally engaging event, large fires breed their share of far-fetched tales. Read the rest of this entry »


The Last Time Big Sur Burned – The ’72 Molera Fire

July 5, 2008

The last fire to burn through the Big Sur Valley was the Molera Fire in 1972 (we originally wrote 1974, but Sean Shadwell, who has clearly done less to damage his memory during the ensuing years, reminded us that it was really 1972). Whatever the year, the day itself was certainly memorable.

Read the rest of this entry »


Big Sur/Ventana Wilderness Fire News

June 23, 2008

This page (and the many pages that follow) contain our day by day, hour by hour, blow by blow account of the Basin Complex Fires that burned through the Santa Lucia mountains June – August 2008. For information on the Chalk Fire, which broke out on the South Coast Ridge the evening of September 27 and burned throughout the month of October, please see our Chalk Fire pages. Please be aware that we have left these pages pretty much as they were created – so some off-site links may no longer be active.

For the latest information on fire, flood & storm see our Big Sur/Ventana Wilderness Fire/Flood Links Page featuring weather forecasts, weather radar, stream & rain gauge monitors, webcams, local blogs and much, much more.

Read the rest of this entry »


Funnel Cloud Over Monterey?

June 21, 2008

It started out as an unremarkable walk at Soberanes. Just a bit warmer than usual … Read the rest of this entry »


Memorial Day at Mt. Carmel & Pat Spring

May 27, 2008

The brushy summit of Mt. Carmel Read the rest of this entry »


Yesterday on the Coast Ridge

February 18, 2008

altaview.jpg Heavy fog shrouds the Big Sur Coast 2-17-08

The January 4th winds blew down a lot of trees and many more trees were crushed or lost branches under the heavy snows that followed. Although the recent warm weather has melted most of the snow, the trails at higher elevations are piled with branches and tangles of tree trunks.

Not to worry, though. While the going on the ridge may be slow, the wildflowers are starting to bloom and it’s out of reach of the fog.