Rockslides cleared from Highway 1 in Monterey County
BIG SUR -- With another potent winter storm system bearing down on Northern California Thursday, Caltrans crews were keeping a wary eye on the rocky cliffs along Highway 1 for potential rockslides.
Highway maintenance workers were able to clear rock and debris along Highway1 south of the Paul's Slide area near Nacimiento-Ferguson Road in Monterey County Thursday morning.
The hillsides have become saturated and unstable after an Cat. 4 atmospheric river storm dumped more than 3 inches of rain on Tuesday.
The highway was fully open in both directions, but crews will be monitoring of conditions throughout the weekend as another Cat. 4 atmospheric river was set to arrive early Saturday.
It will be the second time in a week that a potent Cat. 4 atmospheric river was taking aim at the Bay Area. The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for already swollen streams and saturated hillsides in the region.
The weather service watch goes into effect on Friday evening and will remain in place until Saturday night.
"A series of systems will bring more rain to Northern and Central California now through New Years Eve day," forecasters warned. "While the rain will be light to moderate at times through Friday, this rain will continue to saturate the soils, and prime the pump for potential flooding."
And then a bigger event is expected Friday night.
"An initial wave of moisture will make its way inland over the Pacific Northwest and parts of California Friday with a potent atmospheric river following on its heel for the end of the week," the weather service said. "Moderate to heavy precipitation is expected along with heavy mountain snow. Most of the potential impacts are anticipated across central/northern California and parts of southwest Oregon where rainfall amounts of 3 to 6 inches are forecast through early this weekend."
"These amounts may lead to scattered instances of flash flooding, especially near recent burn scars where terrain is most susceptible to rapid runoff."
