Rain and wind on the menu in Modesto before sun returns Friday

Starting in the midnight hour, rain steadily fell on Modesto for much of Tuesday, dumping nearly 0.4 inches downtown by midafternoon, according to Modesto Irrigation District records.

The strongest periods were between 8 and 10 a.m., when one-tenth of an inch came down, and the 1 o’clock hour, which saw 0.12 inches.

On Monday, the National Weather Service had a lower-confidence flood watch and higher-confidence flood warning in effect for Modesto through Wednesday. By Tuesday morning, it had upgraded to the flood warning only, and it was extended to nearly 3 p.m. Thursday.

Caltrans reported about 9:15 a.m. Tuesday that a rock slide had blocked both directions of traffic on State Route 132 at La Grange Road in eastern Stanislaus County. It advised drivers to seek alternate routes.

In Calaveras County, a search-and-rescue team was looking for a 39-year-old man who was last heard from when he called his supervisor while on his way to work Monday morning. He told his supervisor that a bridge over a river he normally crosses to get to work was flooded.

Julio Gonzales was on an all-terrain vehicle. It’s unknown if he tried to cross the bridge on the ATV or on foot, but searchers found his ATV in the river Tuesday morning, said Calaveras County Sgt. Anthony Eberhardt.

Gonzales’ family began searching for him when he did not return home from work at 4:30 p.m. Monday. Calaveras County Search and Rescue was activated and was assisting in the search of the area, which consists of more than 80 acres of orchards.

The search efforts were complicated by the wet weather and flooding in the area, Eberhardt said.

Gonzales is described as 5 feet 3 inches tall, 150 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. He has numerous small scars on his arms.

Anyone with information regarding Gonzales’ whereabouts is asked to call the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office at 209-754-6500.

The brunt of the storm was expected to be over Tuesday. On Wednesday, the chance of rain is 60 percent, mainly after 4 p.m., with amounts less than one-tenth of an inch, the weather service said. By Wednesday night, the chance of rain increases to 80 percent, with up to a quarter-inch possible.

Showers are likely Thursday morning, after which the day should be mostly cloudy.

Friday through Monday, which is the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday, should be mostly sunny.

The National Weather Service shows the water level rising on the Tuolumne River in Modesto. As of 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, it was at 51.07 feet. It’s predicted to rise to 52.6 feet Thursday or Friday before plateauing and then receding. Flood stage is 55 feet.

This story was originally published January 10, 2017 at 7:27 AM with the headline "Rain and wind on the menu in Modesto before sun returns Friday."