MENDOCINO CO., 12/22/25 – It’s going to be a soggy and wet Christmas week in Mendocino County, the National Weather Service reports.
Heavy rains and strong winds are expected to return Monday night and continue through Thursday night, bringing an additional 5 to 8 inches of rain to the county.
Storm brings flood risk
With multiple storm systems arriving in quick succession, creeks, streams and rivers are likely to rise again. As a result, NWS has issued a countywide flood watch through Friday evening.
NWS data shows the Russian River near Hopland and the Navarro River are expected to reach flood stage on Wednesday.
The likelihood of rockslides and landslides also increases during prolonged rainfall, particularly in areas of steep terrain.
Those living or working in flood-prone and low-lying areas should be prepared for flooding, slides and road closures.
High winds also in the forecast
NWS has issued a high wind warning from 7 p.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Wednesday. A warning means damaging winds are expected.
Southeast winds of 25 to 40 mph are forecast, with gusts between 50 and 70 mph. Coastal headlands, exposed ridges and higher terrain are expected to see the strongest winds.
High winds could bring down trees and power lines, increasing the risk of power outages and debris on roadways.
NWS recommends securing loose outdoor objects –– including that blow-up Santa in the yard –– and using caution while traveling, especially at night.
Weekend storm saturated the region
The upcoming storms will bring more rain to an already saturated county after a wet weekend.
As of Monday, portions of state Highway 175 in Hopland and Highway 1 near Point Arena remained closed due to flooding. A small sinkhole along Highway 1 near Westport caused traffic delays as Caltrans crews worked to repair the roadway. State Highway 128 near Navarro was also closed overnight because of flooding.
NWS reported that Mendocino County has received between 3 and 7 inches of rain since Saturday afternoon. Mountainous areas along Mountain View Road east of Manchester recorded 14.3 inches, the highest total in the county, while valley locations in Laytonville saw about 6.7 inches.
Be prepared
Residents in flood-prone areas are urged to monitor forecasts closely, sign up for emergency alerts at mendoready.org, know their evacuation zone and be prepared to act should flooding occur. Information about local sandbag stations is available here.
“Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles,” NWS said. “Move to higher ground now. Act quickly to protect your life.”
Because Mendocino County contains multiple microclimates, weather conditions may vary widely depending on location. More information and local warnings are available at weather.gov.
Mendocino County had multiple microclimates back in the early 1960s only it wasn’t called that, it was simply called “flooding.” The wise old timers kept things simple.
It happened a lot. One time it rained every day for a month. The more things change the more they stay the same, er, or something.