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.
2/1/24 2:00 p.m. — State Route 128 is open again. State Route 175 remains closed from U.S. Route 101 to McDowell St. in Hopland.
Additionally, reports of downed trees continue throughout the county due to over-saturated soil causing trees to topple. One example from earlier this morning is a century old oak tree in Talmage that fell this morning, much to the surprise of residents. No one was injured.
2/1/24 8 a.m. — State Route 175 is closed from U.S. Route 101 to McDowell St. in Hopland due to flooding. Please avoid the area and respect road closures.
In addition to SR 175, State Route 128 remains closed from State Route 1 to the Flynn Creek Bridge. Plan accordingly and track road conditions here.
Manchester Union Elementary and Pacific Community Charter School are closed today, Thursday, Feb. 1.
1/31/24 10:39 p.m. — State Route 128 is closed in both directions from Route 1 to near Navarro due to the Navarro River flooding. According to Caltrans, there is no estimated time of reopening.
As of 9:45 p.m., the Russian River in Hopland was at 14.78 feet. Flood stage is 15 feet. It is likely that flooding will occur, resulting in the closure of CA-175 in Hopland. Plan accordingly and track road conditions here.
1/31/24 6:43 p.m. — NWS Eureka has once again extended the flood advisory for Mendocino County to 9 p.m. Wednesday Jan. 31. Concern about flooding remains due to excessive rainfall.
Power has been restored for PG&E customers in Westport. Outages continue to impact customers throughout the county, including over 200 in Gualala. You can monitor PG&E outages and estimated times of restoration here.
According to the NWS Eureka, Ukiah has received 1.28 inches of precipitation so far today and 8.01 inches of rain since January 1, 2024.
1/31/24 5:30 p.m. —The National Weather Service Eureka (NWS Eureka) has extended the flood advisory for Mendocino County to 6:45 p.m. Wednesday Jan. 31 due to “persistent moderate to heavy rain over the past several hours” and ongoing rain showers that could bring an additional inch of rain. Flooding is being reported throughout the county, including along State Route 1 and U.S. Route 101.
Flooding in Willits is being to close roads as creeks rise; city workers and PG&E trucks are driving around town putting up flooding and road closure signs as of around 5 p.m., including at the bridge at East Commercial Street.
Road closures in Willits include:
- Walnut St. between Poplar Ave. & Locust St.
- N. Lenore Ave.
- Elm Ln. at Manor Way
Pacific Community Charter School in Point Arena has canceled classes for Thursday, Feb. 1.
1/31/24 4:16 p.m. — According to the City of Willits, the skate park and Rec Grove Park are closed through Sunday due to major flooding.
The day use area of Hendy Woods State Park is closed due to flooding.
Gualala Supermarket is closed for the rest of Wednesday due to flooding.
A mudslide is blocking the westbound lane of State Route 128 at mile marker 47 just east of Ingram.
The South Coast Fire Protection District, which assists with fire and emergency response in Gualala, Point Arena and Manchester areas, is reporting that “Currently ALL roadways are seeing flooding and numerous trees down. We strongly advise staying home for the safety of yourself and all agencies working on the roads. Please take extreme caution
1/31/24 3:41 p.m. — Roadway flooding is being reported on different parts of State Route 1 (SR 1), specifically:
- SR 1 at mile marker 1.28 just north of downtown Gualala
- SR 1 at Old Stage Rd. in Gualala
- SR 1 at the intersection of Big Gulch Rd. The southbound lane of SR 1 and northbound lane of Big Gulch are flooded.
- SR 1 at the intersection of Airport Rd. in Fort Bragg.
Please drive carefully and turn around, don’t drown.
A mudslide has also been reported on Comptche-Ukiah Rd. at mile marker 1 at the intersection of SR 1. According to scanner traffic, the mudslide is active and blocking part of the roadway.
Power has been restored to PG&E customers in Albion. Over 900 customers remain without power in the county, with the biggest outages in Westport, Gualala and Point Arena areas. Track PG&E outages, including when power may be restored, here.
1/31/24 2:58 p.m. — A tree fell onto a truck at Airport Rd. and Hemlock Ln., just east of State Route 1, in Fort Bragg. A woman was driving along a road when a tree suddenly fell on her vehicle, trapping her. No injuries were reported. Both lanes of Airport Rd. are blocked. First responders are on the scene.
Downed trees are particularly common during the rainy season. Over-saturated soil combined with windy conditions can result in trees being uprooted or limbs falling.
In addition to the incident in Fort Bragg, downed trees are being reported countywide, blocking roadways and bringing down power and phone lines. Including Philo-Greenwood road, where a tree brought down power lines. Additionally, according to scanner traffic, a “considerable slide” is partially blocking the road. Please travel carefully.
1/31/24 2:35 p.m. — The National Weather Service Eureka (NWS Eureka) has issued a flood warning for the Russian River near Hopland. The warning is in place now through late Thursday morning. NWS Eureka anticipates the river will reach flood stage late Wednesday evening, possibly reaching as high as 17.5 feet. This will result in the closure of State Route 175 in Hopland and might also impact State Route 222 in Talmage. Please plan accordingly. You can monitor river conditions here.
1/31/24 2:00 p.m. — PG&E customers without power in the Point Arena and Manchester areas have a restoration time of 5 p.m. Westport and Cleone areas have an estimated restoration time of 6 p.m. Customers without power in the Gualala area have a restoration time of 8 p.m. You can track PG&E power outages here.
1/31/24 1:25 p.m. — More coastal PG&E customers are without power this afternoon, bringing the number of customers without power to over 1,700. The latest outage is impacting over 740 customers in Albion. This is in addition to outages in Westport, Philo, Gualala and Point Arena. Some customers are reporting power restoration in parts of the south coast. However, PG&E has not provided a time of restoration for any Mendocino County outages — you can check for individual outage information on the PG&E outage map here.
An overflowing drain along southbound State Route 101 south of Piercy has flooded one of the lanes, resulting in one lane being closed. State road conditions can be monitored here. Please drive carefully.
More reports of rock slides and downed trees are being reported along State Route 1. Please drive carefully.
Additionally, the Coast Community Mendocino County Library in Point Arena has canceled all afternoon programs due to inclement weather.
1/31/24 12:55 p.m. — NWS Eureka has issued a flood advisory for the county until 4:45 p.m. today, Wednesday, Jan. 31 due to flooding that may be caused due to excessive rainfall. According to NWS Eureka, minor flooding is already being reported in the county. The service is particularly concerned about flooding in Ukiah, Willits, Laytonville, Covelo, Potter Valley, Hopland, Redwood Valley, Talmage, Yorkville, Dos Rios and Calpella. Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles.
A rockslide has been reported on State Route 101 mile marker 96 just north of Leggett. The highway remains open, but the northbound lane is blocked. A rockslide and tree are blocking lanes along State Route 1 north of Albion. A rock slide is also reportedly blocking the southbound lane of State Route 1 north of Westport at mile marker 84. Please drive carefully. Please drive carefully.
1/31/24 12:26 p.m. — The National Weather Service Eureka (NWS Eureka) has extended the wind advisory in place for Mendocino County until 5 p.m. today, Wednesday, Jan. 31. Southeast winds between 20 and 30 mph with gusts up to 60 mph are possible. According to NWS Eureka, “Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. Use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high profile vehicle. Secure outdoor objects.”
1/31/24 12:13 p.m. — A rock or mudslide is blocking the entire northbound lane of State Route 1 at mile marker 46.10 between Albion and Little River. Please avoid the area and travel safely if you can’t.
Pacific Community Charter School in Point Arena has canceled all after-school activities due to the weather.
1/31/24 12:06 p.m. — State Route 1 is open again from Omar Dr. to Ocean View Dr. just south of Inglenook after being closed due to downed trees.
1/31/24 11:53 a.m. — A new power outage is impacting over 90 PG&E customers in Anderson Valley, west of State Route 128 east of Philo. Power also remains out for over 1,350 customers on the coast. PG&E has not provided a time of restoration. — you can check for individual outage information on the PG&E outage map here.
National Weather Service Eureka reports that “Moderate to heavy rain over the past several hours has contributed to widespread urban and small stream flooding along the coast,” and that up to 2 inches of additional rain is expected in the next few hours. This increases the risk of more flooding and rock and mudslides. The agency asks that folks be extra cautious if traveling.
Many small businesses are reporting closures due to the weather conditions, including power outages. Be sure to call ahead or check social media.
1/31/24 11:40 a.m. — Emergency crews are responding to a downed tree blocking both lanes of the road and power lines on the 2300 block of East Hill Road in Willits, reported to the California Highway Patrol at 11:20 a.m.
KGUA in Gualala is currently off the air due to generator issues, but is available via streaming at kgua.org, and staff are working to return to the airwaves.
1/31/24 11:06 a.m. — Fort Bragg Food Bank canceled its food and nutrition pop-up in Leggett on Thursday, Feb. 1 due to the weather.
1/31/24 10:53 a.m. — Over 370 PG&E customers in between Inglenook and Rockport are without power due downed trees which took down power lines in the area. Power also remains out for over 1,000 customers on the south coast. PG&E has not provided a time of restoration. — you can check for individual outage information on the PG&E outage map here.
1/31/24 10:43 a.m. — A high surf advisory has been issued for the entire Mendocino Coast by the National Weather Service Eureka (NWS Eureka). Dangerous surf conditions and localized beach erosion is expected. According to NWS Eureka:
Large breaking waves along the coast will lead to increased wave run-up on beaches with waves topping and washing over large rocks and jetties. These large waves can be erratic and unpredictable. Use extra caution near the surf zone as these large waves will be capable of sweeping people into the frigid and turbulent ocean water. Mariners traversing the bar are urged to exercise extreme caution or stay in port until the threat subsides. Please contact the U.S. Coast Guard for information regarding harbor and bar closures.
The advisory is in effect from 10 p.m. tonight, Wednesday, Jan. 31, through 10 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 1.
1/31/24 10:22 a.m. — State Route 1 from Omar Dr. to Ocean View Dr. just south of Inglenook is closed in both directions due to downed trees and power lines until first responders can safely clear the road. A time of reopening has not been provided. Please avoid the area.
MENDOCINO Co., 1/31/24 – An atmospheric river is currently battering Mendocino County, bringing with it high winds, heavy rain and unpredictable conditions, including flooding, downed trees and power outages. The weather is expected to continue throughout today, Wednesday, Jan. 31, so avoid unnecessary travel, and be prepared for road closures, power outages, and other possible damage from the storm. The Navarro, Garcia and Russian Rivers also may see flooding, impacting roadways.
Rainy and windy conditions are possible through Thursday, Feb. 1. The National Weather Service (NWS) in Eureka is currently monitoring the forecast for the rest of the week, which may bring more rainy weather during the weekend.
Below, find a round-up of current conditions. We’ll be updating this article throughout the day.
We provided a robust forecast on the atmospheric river here, and included some additional resources at the end of the article. We also have a winter weather info guide we recommend you bookmark, and information about FEMA assistance, CalFresh replacements, and other storm aid on our website.
If you’re interested in an overview of the statewide impacts of these storms from a meteorological perspective, we recommend checking out Daniel Swain of Weather West, who has been sharing information throughout these major weather events.
Power outages
Over 1,000 PG&E customers are without power this morning on the south coast, including in Gualala, Point Arena and Manchester. As of now, no estimated time of restoration has been provided. Over 950 customers are also without power in Sea Ranch and Stewart’s Point, with an estimated time of restoration around 5 p.m. today. There are also a number of smaller outages across the county — you can check for individual outage information on the PG&E outage map here.
This storm is expected to bring gusty winds that could lead to more downed trees and power lines, so it’s recommended to prepare for additional outages over the next several days.
Road conditions
Road conditions are treacherous in many areas of the county due to heavy rain and high winds. This morning, multiple car accidents have been reported along State Routes 1, 20 and 101 due to the slick conditions. Additionally, reports of downed trees and power lines have been reported along State Route 1 between Inglenook and Cleone, as well as on Old Stage Rd. and Ten Mill Rd.
As of this morning, all major roads and highways are open. If you are planning to travel, please prepare with emergency equipment such as blankets, water and food. If you plan to travel north to Trinity or Del Norte, bring snow chains. You can check your route on the Caltrans Quickmap here.
Sandbags stations:
Please note: this will change and depend on each specific weather event
- Hopland Band of Pomo Indians located at the corner of Hwy 101 and Hwy 175
- Friedman’s Home Improvement in Ukiah
- Redwood Valley Fire Station
- The Willits Justice Center located at 125 E Commercial Street in Willits
- Laytonville Fire Station
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
I was most impresses with Sarah’s coverage today so made a donation. Very complete and timely coverage. Thank you!
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