How to resolve AdBlock issue? LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Forecasters' predictions for a big rainstorm came true for Lake County on Friday, with an average of several inches of rain reported at locations around the county.
The rain also brought with it some winds, along with downed trees and power lines, and dangerous conditions on some area roadways.
The two storms moving over California this weekend have been attributed both to an “atmospheric river” – a wide band of concentrated moisture – and to a “pineapple express.”
“A pineapple express is a continuous surge of tropical moisture extending from near Hawaii all the way into a West Coast storm,” AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said.
AccuWeather reported that during Saturday into Saturday night, the rain over the region will taper to showers.
Then, a second storm will arrive along the West Coast Sunday into Monday, unleashing another round of heavy rain and most likely another dose of flash flooding, mudslides and travel disruptions, according to AccuWeather.
Lake County, like the rest of Northern California, had little rain in January. Last month, in fact, was the driest on record for the San Francisco area, AccuWeather reported.
However, Friday's storm brought a healthy amount of rain to the county.
Twenty-four hour totals reported through 2:30 a.m. Saturday by the National Weather Service included 1.79 inches near the High Glade Lookout above Upper Lake, 3.64 inches near Lakeport, 3.13 inches at the Lake/Colusa county line, 4.15 inches on Mt. Konocti, 5.29 inches at Lower Lake, 6.22 inches at Middletown and 6.28 inches at Whispering Pines.
The National Weather Service also reported on high wind speeds around the county on Friday. There were 40-miles-per-hour gusts at Hidden Valley Lake; Kelseyville, 42 miles per hour; Mt. Konocti, 43 miles per hour; Cow Mountain Ridge, 50 miles per hour; and at High Glade Lookout, high wind speeds of 71 miles per hour.
Clear Lake's level continued to improve thanks to the storm.
The lake was at 2.94 feet Rumsey early Friday, rising to 3.32 feet Rumsey early Saturday, according to US Geological Survey records.
Weather creates road, power issues
The city of Lakeport, which had issued several bulletins on conditions throughout the day, reported at day's end that stream levels were stable or decreasing in volume, and drainage systems were fully functional for the current rain levels.
All city roads remained open, although at around 10 p.m. Friday a tree was reported to have taken down power lines in the 1500 block of Martin Street. That closure was later reported to have been cleared.
Lakeport Public Works staff is on standby through the weekend as a precautionary measure in case of additional flooding.
Elsewhere around the county, there were road safety issues due to the weather.
At 10:45 p.m. a tree was reported to have fallen at Highway 29 and West Road south of Middletown, blocking both lanes.
Just before 11 p.m., the wet conditions contributed to reports of debris and rocks across a portion of Soda Bay Road, which a county road crew cleared. In other parts of the county there were reports of downed trees.
No major road closures were reported on the county's highways early Saturday
Elsewhere around the region, at about 10:30 p.m. the California Highway Patrol reported that Highway 175 at the Russian River Bridge in Hopland is closed due to flooding.
Power outages also occurred around the county late Friday and early Saturday due to weather conditions.
The Pacific Gas and Electric's online outage center reported that downed power lines had knocked out power to nearly 1,500 customers in Lucerne at around 11 p.m.
There also were isolated outages – with no causes reported by PG&E – in the Clearlake, Kelseyville, Lakeport and Lower Lake areas.
Lake County News will continue to post updates on conditions throughout the weekend.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
'Pineapple express' brings several inches of rain; more ahead
- Elizabeth Larson
