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.
3/3/24 11:02 a.m. — The winter weather watches and warnings have expired for Mendocino County.
3/2/24 8:13 a.m. — Big rigs are reporting that snow is beginning to accumulate on State Route 175 between Hopland and Lakeport. Caltrans cameras confirm. In the past, snow has led to traffic collisions, resulting in the closure of the highway. Plan accordingly and avoid travel if possible.
3/2/24 8:06 a.m. — Three car accidents are creating travel delays along U.S. Route 101 in the Longvale area. All three accidents happened within 30 minutes of each other. Caltrans and the National Weather Service recommends avoiding travel if possible and to drive cautiously if travel can’t be avoided. Track state road conditions here.
MENDOCINO Co., 3/2/24 – A winter storm continues to impact Mendocino County. National Weather Service Eureka (NWS Eureka) Winter storm warnings and winter weather watches remain in place for large portions of inland Mendocino County.
Our team will be reporting on conditions all day and into the evening to ensure you’re informed and can stay safe. Be sure to also connect with us on social media to let us know what you’re seeing. You can find us on Facebook here, Instagram here, and X here.
What to expect today, Saturday, Mar. 2
According to NWS Eureka, snow and rain will occur today, even possibly thunderstorms and hail on the coast. Here’s a brief breakdown of what to expect alphabetically by community. Note, these forecasts are accurate as of 7:30 a.m. and can change. Snow accumulations are more likely at higher elevations.
- Boonville: Showers all day until around 10 p.m. Patchy fog overnight.
- Brooktrails: Snow before 1 p.m., followed by rain showers. After 10 p.m., snow. New snow accumulation could be between 1 to 2 inches.
- Covelo: Snow showers in the morning followed by rain and snow showers after 1 p.m. After 7 p.m., snow and patchy fog. In total, 3 to 6 inches of snow accumulation is possible.
- Fort Bragg: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm, which could produce small hail. Wind gusts as high as 21 mph. Showers and possible thunderstorms continue into the evening and overnight.
- Hopland: Showers all day until around 10 p.m. Patchy fog overnight.
- Laytonville: Snow showers throughout the day. Wind gusts as high as 24 mph. After 5 p.m. rain and snow showers. Accumulation of 3-5 inches if possible, specifically in higher elevations. Tonight, rain and snow showers will transition into all snow after 8 p.m. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches is possible.
- Leggett: Snow before 10 a.m. before becoming a rain/snow mix. Tonight, snow showers with some rain will be possible. Little to no accumulation of snow.
- Point Arena: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm today. Thunderstorms could bring small hail. Showers continue into the evening overnight, as well as the possibility of thunderstorms and small hail.
- Potter Valley: Rain and snow showers in the morning before becoming rain after 1 p.m. Rain continues into the evening before transitioning into a rain and snow mix after 10 p.m.
- Redwood Valley: Showers all day and into the evening.
- Ukiah: Showers all day until around 10 p.m. Patchy fog overnight.
- Willits: A mix of rain and snow in the morning. After 1 p.m., rain showers. A mix of rain and snow is possible after 10 p.m., along with patchy fog. No snow accumulation.
Mountain passes could see higher amounts of rain and snow. You can check mountain pass forecasts here. Conditions may vary widely across North Coast microclimates and on your travel routes, so we’ve included a list of useful resources below to keep you updated. You can check for the specific forecast for your neighborhood and on current road conditions as they develop.
What we woke up to in Mendocino County
Residents are reporting small traces of snow, less than an inch, in Brooktrails and higher elevations in Fort Bragg and Anderson Valley. Some folks in Layontville, including Spyrock Rd., saw a bit heavier snow accumulation at 1 inch. According to NWS Eureka, 8.4 miles east north east of Potter Valley, at an elevation of 2,849 feet, saw 4 inches of snow.
And despite forecasts for dramatic snow accumulation along the Willits Grade (Ridgewood Summit), drivers woke up to wet road conditions and very little snow on the side of the roads. Regardless, Caltrans maps show snow plows working throughout the county, including along State Route 20 and U.S. 101.
Despite the lack of snow accumulation along highways overnight, downed trees and power outages continue to impact the county.
A small portion of State Route 128 was closed between Navarro and Reilly Heights due to multiple downed trees along the road making both lanes impassable. The road reopened just before 7:30 a.m. You can monitor state road conditions here.
T-Mobile customers in Leggett are reporting an outage that has been in place since Friday.
What happened on Friday
Yesterday, Friday, Mar. 1, brought numerous vehicle accidents, downed trees and small power outages on the coast and inland. As of this morning, over 1,000 PG&E customers remain without power both inland and on the coast. Power outages can be tracked here.
In case you missed it, the Leggett Post Office was destroyed in a fire last night, when lightning hit a tree near the building, setting the tree on fire. The fire spread to the post office, destroying it within an hour. The Leggett Valley Mercantile reported no damage. Service disruption updates have yet to be provided by the United States Post Office.
Regarding rainfall, Ukiah saw a record breaking day on Friday, seeing 1.45 inches of rain, bypassing a 1941 record of 1.37 inches.
We 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.
I was without electric last week and lost all my food on top of it all I’m on a nebulizer and PGE could not help me at all. I was in a terrible way and scared that I was going to die do to not being able to eat or breath. Now this week I wound up in a terrible auto accident on hwy 101 on my way to try and get some free much needed food through the food banks cause PGE was unable to assist me in any way nor did they help me with any of my losses let alone some air to breath or a safe place to stay. I Sat in my home for 5 days without anything then when I finally got some gas to get out and find food I crashed my car and wound up in the 🏥 hospitall in critacle condition . I’m still in the hospital with my beloved pets stuck at my home starving and cold. Paying friends to check on them and feed them what I can get them to find. This he as been very traject and horrific for me to survive without any help from the colprit that started all this P G E. There is no help or anything for me and I’m laying in a hospital bed in Santa Rosa horrified as to what has happened to me this month of feb with all the disasters caused by my electric being out and not getting any help here. Iv been on the phone with fictious and fake help that has led me no ware but into more disaster. I am disabled and 67 years of age and I feel like iv just been thrown away to the wolves. Why is there no help? This is very bad to humanity and lack of respect for me as a fellow human due to PGE not really caring about me or anybody In this world ..please can someone HELP.