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I've been avoiding all newscasts this weekend, and I've totally missed the storm in California.

Are all of our California PAOers OK? I've seen Jenn post, but I wanted to make sure everyone is still good.

Thanks for asking Pam. We are fine but the amount of water in my end of town and southward is hard to believe. My hangout, Cosumnes River Preserve, has been under water for nearly 2 weeks now. I was able to get to the Visitor Center Wednesday and we once again had to walk to do our waterbird survey. Most of my designated survey area was under water. And I was informed last night by our team leader that the road we use to get to our survey area is totally flooded and closed. So much for our Crane count this week. The flooding has actually kept the ducks and geese away. Their usual winter habitat is not hospitable to them at the moment. The Bufferlands, where I am in docent training, is under 8 feet of water! Our first led bird walk is in mid February. Hope it dries out.

We had another wild, heavy rain and windy night last night. Trees going down has been a serious problem in Sacramento area. Bob and I got out for a few hours today to walk up to the Sacramento River Levee. Very high water and widest I've ever seen it since 1986. Lots of large debris floating fast downstream. Garcia Bend Boat Launch was closed due to high water. We've all been pretty lucky in this area and I'm thankful that the levee we live near was reconstructed about 8 years ago. It's the farmers and ranchers who are dealing with this flooding and levee breaks south of us.

The sun is gone again and it's sprinkling. Possible thunder showers in a few hours to enjoy.

This photo doesn't do the river justice if you don't have a frame of reference. You can see the debris line from the last flooding. That is the approach to the boat launch which is still closed. But its the width of the river that impressed up most. The typical shoreline is gone.

Whoa! Big thunder clap just now. Here we go!

One more photo. That clap of thunder I mentioned above was the beginning of quite a cloud burst of hail. We three stood in the doorway like little kids watching it hit our cars.

Oh gosh. I'm so sorry.
We're expecting "severe weather" tonight. I hope just means trouble sleeping from the noise. I really wish we had a basement.

No rain here yet. I guess it's heading our way.

Good heavens! Glad to hear you're OK. I just heard from Darren and Jestine in Hanford. They said they're soggy and the lake is rising but no major issues.

I saw a report that said the snow pack is 200% above normal. Could this finally be an end to the drought conditions in California?

Many ski resorts in the Tahoe area are closed, too much snow and storms. The main highway over the mountains has been closed many times this year.

Here we get flood warnings, but I don't live in an area that will flood (fingers crossed) but our reservoirs are at capacity. The creek through my town that has a running/biking trail has had a lot of flooding - but not into homes. Highway 17 over to Santa Cruz has had numerous mud slides and road closures.

Farley, my friend has been up in Clarksburg helping her daughter who's been sick and has two small kids. Power out & flooding there.

The good thing is we get periods of no rain that help things dry a bit and creeks go down. Many of our county parks have damage & are closed. Downed trees are a big problem, can't help but think that the drought killed or weakened a lot of them which hasn't helped.

During periods of drought, trees deepen their root system in search of water, unless they're being watered occasionally by small showers. Then they tend to develop shallow root systems. During a flood the ground becomes saturated, softening the soil, which weakens the area immediately around the large root zone. Throw in strong winds and they topple. Hardwoods tend to loose limbs instead of toppling, while the softwoods, such as pines, go over with little provocation.

I worked for a horticulturist for several years.

We never got the kind of weather you got yesterday, Farley. I guess it skipped on by.

Off topic, looks like you're an all Audi family now?

We have had 10.4 inches of rain here on the coast of Oregon since Jan 1. That's about 8 inches more than normal and we are SICK of it. Today was the first day we haven't had a series of squalls and I think we're supposed to be drying up this week. Yay! We essentially live on a sand dune so we don't have a flooding problem, the water just percolates through and disappears.

ScrappinJen wrote:We never got the kind of weather you got yesterday, Farley. I guess it skipped on by.

Off topic, looks like you're an all Audi family now?

70th birthday present for my guy.

Which one? Or both?

Some crazy weather, Rods mother is on dialysis and she has to be driven 90 miles one way 3 times a week! We are now driving home in a ground blizzard, with white out conditions. I have finger prints in the arm rest!

OMGosh Debbie that gives me chills thinking of you all out in that storm. There isn't a service that can take her sometimes to give you two a break? You are good kids!

We are thankfully in sunshine today and it's to be this way for at least a week. I am in need of some vitamin D!

oh wow try to keep safe