Use calm before storm to clean gutters, gather sandbags, flashlights

The current break in the rain is a good time for concerned residents to prepare for what meteorologists call an “atmospheric river” – a narrow corridor of concentrated moisture – that will hit the region this weekend.

The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for the Modesto area from Saturday afternoon through Monday. A precipitation forecast sent out Thursday anticipates 3 to 4 inches of rain for Modesto during that period, 7.5 to 10 inches in Sonora, and 10 to 15 inches in Yosemite National Park, which announced Wednesday that it might close for the safety of employees and visitors.

A spokeswoman for the national park said Thursday that a full closure is not anticipated. “Right now, we have no closures other than the seasonal closure of Tioga Road,” said public affairs officer Jamie Richards.

The park’s first priority is people’s safety, she said, followed by protection of the park infrastructure. Should a section of Yosemite need to be closed, Richards said, a National Park Service team is in place to work with the public and all park partners, including concessionaire Yosemite Hospitality. Visitors in a section that’s closing would be relocated to another part of the park, she said, and those arriving at entrances would be informed of any sections closed.

Though Yosemite has isolated closures on an infrequent basis for reasons such as rock slides and mudslides, she said, the last full park closure was in 1997. Heavy flooding in January of that year shut the park for nearly three months.

A weather service snow forecast for Saturday says the Sonora, Ebbetts and Carson passes could get 12 to 18 inches, and Tioga Pass could get 18 to 24. As snow levels rise above 8,000 feet, the majority of the precipitation from this system will fall as rain in the mountains.

The weather service says the storm likely will mean widespread flooding of urban areas, roadways, small streams and main stem rivers. It warns that downstream river flooding is possible because of flood-control releases at Sierra reservoirs. The Tuolumne River already is running heavier because of releases that began Wednesday at Don Pedro Reservoir. According to the state Department of Water Resources, the reservoir was at 74 percent of capacity Wednesday.

Affecting forest burn scars already saturated from recent storms, the system also could cause mud and debris flows. Mountain roadways could be hit by rock and mudslides.

On the strength of the atmospheric river, the weather service says moderate precipitation will start Saturday, and the brunt of storm will be Sunday, tapering off Monday. Additional storms are possible Tuesday into the following weekend.

The city of Modesto announced Wednesday that up to 20 sandbags per household are available free to city residents at its corporation yard, 501 N. Jefferson St. Call 209-342-2244 for more information.

In Turlock, the Municipal Services Department operates a sandbag pickup operation. During the rainy season, sandbags are available on a self-serve basis around the clock at 901 S. Walnut Ave. During a storm, the city will staff the sandbag station weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. No delivery is available.

Oakdale has sand and bags available at the fire station at South Yosemite Avenue and G Street. Residents should bring their own shovels.

Stanislaus County residents can call 209-525-4130 for information regarding sandbags, or see the Stanislaus County Office of Emergency Services’ weather information page at www.stanemergency.org/naturaldisasters/weather.shtm.

The page – residents might want to print it out, to have if there’s a power failure – gives sandbag locations and phone numbers to report flooded streets and downed tree limbs, for all county communities.

“The OES is monitoring,” said county spokesman David Jones, “and as the National Weather Service refines its forecast, that helps better inform us on what to expect.” He advised residents to clear their gutters and curbsides of debris, to let water drain as best as possible. He also advised motorists to drive with their headlights on even in daylight hours during the rain.

To stay updated, follow OES at www.facebook.com/StanEmergency/?fref=ts and Twitter.com/StanEmergency.

In a National Weather Service advisory video, meteorologist Michelle Mead said winds aren’t expected to be as strong as in recent storms, but there’s the potential for downed trees and power lines. The video also advises residents to prepare for power failures by gathering flashlights and other necessities.

The Modesto Irrigation District does year-round maintenance on its electrical and irrigation sides to prepare for events such as this, said spokeswoman Melissa Williams. The utility anticipates scattered power failures from falling tree debris and vehicle accidents, she said, so crews will be on standby. Customers can report problems around the clock by calling 209-526-8222.

According to the Modesto Irrigation District’s weather records, the latest storm dropped 0.23 inches downtown Wednesday, and 0.12 inches in the early hours Thursday. That brings the season total to 6.19 inches.

The rainfall season runs from July 1 through June 30, and the average rainfall at this point in the season is about 4.5 inches, MID records show.

This story was originally published January 5, 2017 at 11:20 AM with the headline "Use calm before storm to clean gutters, gather sandbags, flashlights."