This is a developing situation and information may change. We’ll update this article as more information becomes available. The most recent information will be updated at the top of the article, with the earlier reports below.
MENDOCINO Co., 1/6/23 — Winter weather and rain are hitting the North Coast today, leading to dangerous driving conditions, power outages, downed trees, and more, and it’s time for Northern California residents and travelers to get prepared for changing weather conditions and potential storm impacts. We’ve included some resources about how to get prepared and stay informed at the end of this article so you can stay safe whether planning at trip or staying home, and we will continue to update this article as significant changes occur.
In Mendocino County, rainfall and other wintry precipitation is expected to continue through Saturday evening, and a high surf advisory is in place until 7 p.m. Saturday evening. As of 10 a.m. Saturday, there are some road closures or chains required in more mountainous parts of Humboldt and Trinity counties due to snowfall, with current impacts most significant on State Routes 299, 3, and 36. The National Weather Service Eureka (NWS) has issued a winter weather advisory for interior parts of Humboldt, Trinity, and Del Norte counties about 2500 feet in elevation until 10 p.m., and encourages drivers to take caution and be prepared for closures, snow, or other winter conditions if planning for travel.
Are you seeing snow or hail? NWS wants your weather reports; submit them here. You can check for current conditions and forecasts for your specific location or travel routes at the NWS website, and for current traffic conditions at the California Highway Patrol incident page or by using the Caltrans Quickmap tool.
In northern Mendocino County, there are 624 customers without power in the Laytonville and Leggett areas, and PG&E is currently estimating that power will be restored by 4:45 p.m. Saturday. You can check for updated information about current outages at the PG&E outage map, as well as report any new outages, and sign up for notifications for your address. It’s also a good time to get prepared for future outages by checking on backup power sources, and food, water, and medical supplies.
Mendocino Voice Winter weather resources:
- Our guide for winter weather emergency and preparedness info — we recommend you bookmark this
- Check your specific forecast at this link along with the National Weather Service advisories and warnings, as well as their Facebook page and their Twitter page
- Check the CalTrans QuickMap for current road closures or call 1-800-GAS-ROAD
- Check for current accidents at the CHP traffic update page
- Caltrans traffic cameras can be seen here, and here are the PG&E cameras
- You can also check out the Weather Underground to look for weather stations in your area
- Check the PG&E current outage map to find or report power outages
- NWS has flood stage predictions here; and you can find USGS current streamflow information here
- NWS is seeking snowfall reports, and you can submit them to this website.
- We recommend meteorologist Daniel Swain’s Weather West Blog as a good place to find more in-depth current weather analysis
