Update: Evacuation warning for Modesto area is lifted. Some other warnings, orders remain
Jan. 17, 5:10 p.m. update: Shortly before 5 p.m., the Stanislaus County Office of Emergency Services reported that effective immediately, the evacuation warning has been lifted for the Ninth Street/River Road area of Modesto.
Jan. 17, 4:40 p.m. update: The Stanislaus County Office of Emergency Services reported at 4:30 p.m. that effective immediately, the evacuation warning and evacuation order has been lifted for the Crows Landing area and residents may return to their homes. All other evacuation warnings and evacuation orders are still in place. Some roads in the Crows Landing area remain closed, so residents may need to find alternatives routes to access their homes.
Original story: Residents might have to evacuate two trailer parks in Modesto as the Tuolumne River flows past at high volume near Ninth Street.
The Stanislaus County Office of Emergency Services issued the warning Monday for the Terrace and Driftood parks. A total of 252 people were contacted in the side-by-side parks, on a bluff normally well above the water.
The warning came amid indications that a storm forecast for Wednesday could be the last of the multi-week onslaught on California. The National Weather Service forecast up to a quarter-inch of rain in Modesto, followed by frost and then fog into the weekend.
The Tuolumne was running about 5.5 feet below flood stage Tuesday at the Ninth Street Bridge, the OES reported. It has not caused major flooding yet thanks to unused space in the vast Don Pedro Reservoir.
The Turlock Irrigation District, which manages the releases, reported Tuesday that it expects to reduce them to allow the channel to handle water from Dry Creek. This undammed tributary enters the Tuolumne just east of downtown Modesto and was expected to peak Tuesday.
The San Joaquin River continued to pose a threat in the Newman, Crows Landing and Patterson areas.
Near the tiny town of Crows Landing, evacuations were ordered Monday for residents east of Highway 33, west of Moran Road, between Ike Crow Road and just south of Eastin Road. A warning was issued for people west of Highway 33, east of Medlin Road, between Ike Crow Road and just south of Eastin Road.
Just east of Patterson, an evacuation was ordered from the river to as far west as Elm and Poplar avenues, as far north as Del Puerto Creek and as far south as Fig Avenue.
The evacuation zone was reduced in a strip on the east side of River Road between Crows Landing Road and Hills Ferry Road. Now it is only as far north as Villamanucha Road.
The Modesto Irrigation District recorded 1.17 inches of rain at its downtown office Monday. The total now stands at 12.96 inches for the water year that started July 1, eclipsing the historical average of 12.12 inches.
The Weather Service forecast highs of just 51 degrees Tuesday and Wednesday, with dry conditions until the next storm. Thursday looks to be dry with a high of 49. Friday’s forecast shows a low of 33, with a frost advisory from 5 to 8 a.m., and then a high of 49.
The Weather Service sees both frost and fog Saturday morning, followed by sunny but cool conditions through the weekend.
This story was originally published January 17, 2023 at 1:01 PM.
