Storm Day 2: Weather Service extends flood warning to Tuesday night for Mariposa, Merced
9 p.m. The National Weather Service upgraded its flood warning for Mariposa and Merced counties until 9 p.m. Tuesday. The warning covered rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations and said flooding was imminent or occurring. The weather service noted sand bagging operations are continuing, and numerous roads remain closed due to flooding. Drivers were cautioned to expect many areas of slow-moving or standing water. Flooding was already taking place in some areas, and rainfall was expected Monday night. Areas at risk included Merced, Atwater, Planada and Le Grand.
A flood advisory for Madera County expired at 4:30 a.m. Sunday. Among the locations with the potential for flooding include the Crane Valley Reservoir and North Fork.
So far, the San Joaquin River has not caused flooding in some of the lower-lying areas, including the Woodward Bluffs Mobile Home Park on the Fresno side of the river at Highway 41, said Fresno County Lt. Adam Esmay.
In the Sierra Nevada, a winter storm warning remains in effect until 4 a.m. Tuesday with heavy snow expected from Sunday night through Monday night. Up to 1 to 2 feet of snow is possible above 5,000 feet from Yosemite National Park to Tulare County. Travel could be very difficult to impossible.
Rockslide closes Highway 140 entrance into Yosemite
6 p.m. A rockslide on Highway 140 above Midpines was expected to keep the Highway 140 route into Yosemite closed for up to 72 hours, Caltrans reported Sunday evening. The rockslide was near Briceburg in Mariposa County. The hard closure of the roadway was at Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort.
THE LAST WAVE OF STORMS ARRIVING SUNDAY
11 a.m.: Another storm is bearing down on the central San Joaquin Valley with estimated rainfall totals ranging from one-half to an inch by Monday.
Snow levels will start at around 4,000 feet on Sunday, before rising to about 5,000 feet Monday and dropping to around 3,500 feet Monday night. Two to three feet of snow is expected above the 6,000-foot level and one to two feet from 5,000 to 6,000 feet.
National Weather Service meteorologist Jim Bagnall said the bulk of the rain is expected to fall Sunday night into Monday, with skies clearing Monday night.
“After we get through this next wave, we will have a period of calm,” Bagnall said. “At least through the next weekend.”
Bagnall said this should be the last of the recent series of atmospheric rain systems that has caused severe flooding in parts of California including the San Joaquin Valley.
Rain: Where the Fresno region stands in 2023
9 a.m.: Since the beginning of the year, the rainfall total for Fresno has reached 3.69 inches. Normally, the rainfall total for this time of year is 1.04 inches, Bagnall said.
Last year’s rainy season totals have also been surpassed. From Oct. 1 through Sept. 1, the normal amount of rainfall for the region is 4.26 inches. Already, the amount of rainfall for the new water year is 8.94 inches.
In the mountains, China Peak ski area has received three to five feet of snow over the past 24 hours, Bagnall said. For the entire season, more than 22 feet of snow has fallen in the area.
This story was originally published January 15, 2023 at 11:09 AM.
