State Diaster Emergency request

Yesterday, Acting Governor Abel Maldonado requested President Obama declare a major disaster for the State of California, including Riverside County as a result of severe winter storms.

Maldonado estimated total expenses have exceeded $100 million and were continuing to grow. Riverside County costs were more than $10.5 million.

In the letter, Maldonado discussed the damage caused by last week’s rains and emphasized that the National Weather Service was predicting more rainfall during the next week.[Editor’s note: Idyllwild received more than 1.5 inches Wednesday, Dec. 29.]

Other counties included in the state’s request for emergency assistance are Inyo, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Tulare.

On Dec. 14, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger had already ordered the implementation of State Emergency Plan. A week later, in accordance with federal law, he proclaimed State of Emergency in six counties including Riverside.

Weather: Thurs. Dec 30 sunny & cold

It's sunny today in the mountains. See the photos from this morning. The roads, especially the highways, are clear and gravel or cinder has been dropped.


But the National Weather Service forecast is for a high of 34º, ice in the shade is unlikely to melt until tomorrow when temperatures are expected to cross above 40º. Yesterday more than 1.5 inches of rain fell at Keenwild Ranger Station.

The total since July 1 is now 18.83 inches. The average rainfall from July 1 through Dec. 31 is 9.22 inches. The annual average rainfall is 25.67 inches.

Riverside County Fire collecting storm damage info

Riverside County Fire/OES Seeks Storm Data Information

In an effort to assist Riverside County residents affected by the recent storms, the Office of Emergency Services is gathering storm damage information.

Residents living in the unincorporated areas in Riverside County who sustained storm-related damage to their homes, businesses, and vehicles are urged to report that damage to the Riverside County Office of Emergency Services.

The Riverside County Fire Department, Office of Emergency Services (OES) is the lead Emergency Management agency for the County of Riverside and serves as the liaison between our cities, special districts and other agencies to the State and Federal Governments.

Residents may call 951-955-8440 during normal business hours (Monday – Thursday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.) to report damages. Damage reports may also be submitted via email to rvceoc@fire.ca.gov.

Please include your name, phone number, address and any damage-related photos.
For more information on flood preparation and flood safety, visit www.rvcfire.org or www.floodcontrol.co.riverside.ca.us.

latest weather

SHORT TERM FORECAST
1226 PM PST WED DEC 29 2010

National Weather Service San Diego CA

SAN BERNARDINO and RIVERSIDE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-

.NOW... rain will change over to intermittent

showers in the Inland Empire this afternoon.

Steady snow will continue over the

Riverside County mountains where several inches

of new snow are likely above 6500 feet.

Intermittent snow showers will taper off over

the San Bernardino mountains this afternoon.

Oh yes, as of 30 minutes ago, Keenwild Ranger Station

has recored .75 inches of rain today, the total this

month is over 12 inches.

Since July 1, Keenwild has recorded 18 inches. The

long-term (since 1948) annual average rainfall in Idyllwild

has been 25.7 inches.

We're more than 70 percent there, with six months to go.

but don't forget the La Niña pattern may still arrive

after New Year's.

Weather: Wed. Dec 29 Snow, Rain, Ice?

The soft wet snow has turned to rain. The main roads have
been plowed and with the rain tires
are making direct contact with the pavement.
Keep in mind regardless of the snow
or rain forecast for today.
The cold front is “cold” tonight so roads
will turn icy and be that way
in Thursday morning.

Below are some photos from around town this morning.

SHORT TERM FORECAST
National Weather Service San Diego CA
 San Bernardino and Riverside County mountains-
 1125 am pst wed dec 29 2010
 .now... at 1130 am...
steady rain was moving southeast across the area. the
rain will change over to intermittent showers this afternoon.
snow will fall in the mountains above 5000 feet.

Here we see Emily White, of Idyllwild Inn, clearing the entrance to the office.




















These photos were submitted 
by Pat Smith and Mike Freitas.

CALTRANS says chains

this just arrived

SR-243 from Mountain Center to Idyllwild (Riverside County)

Until further notice, CalTrans is requiring chains on all commercial vehicles (trucks or buses).

All other vehicles (cars, pick-ups, vans, etc.) must have

either snow tread tires or chains on the drive axle.

Weather Wednesday Dec 29 SNOW

Well for all you sentimentalists, Idyllwild may have a delayed "White Christmas". Some snow has already fallen and below is the latest National Weather Service Forecast for the remainder of today, Wednesday, Dec. 29.

Winter Storm Warning
Urgent - winter weather message national weather service 
San Diego ca 2:32 am pst wed Dec 29 2010 
 ...WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS 
at the higher elevations today...  .a cold front will bring snow...
blowing snow and strong gusty winds to the higher elevations today. 
Snow levels will start near 6500 feet and then lower to near 4000 feet
by this evening. there could be heavy snow above
6000 feet this morning with the frontal passage.  
San Bernardino county mountains-Riverside County mountains-
including the following locations...angelus oaks...baldwin lake... barton flats...
big bear city...big bear lake...crestline... fawnskin...forest falls..
.i-15 at cajon summit... i-15 at 3500 feet...lake arrowhead...mount baldy...
mountain home village...oak glen...phelan...running springs... twin peaks...
wrightwood... aguanga... 
ANZA...GARNER VALLEY... IDYLLWILD...MOUNTAIN CENTER...
PINE COVE...PINYON PINES... VISTA GRANDE
...winter storm warning in effect until 8 pm pst this evening above 6000 feet... 
* snow levels: 6000 feet with the heavy snow at 7000 feet and   
higher. the snow level will drop to 5000 feet by wednesday  afternoon...
then to 4000 feet and locally lower to around   
3000 feet wednesday night. by wednesday night...light snow   
showers are expected.  
* snow accumulations: over one foot above 7000 feet...4 to 8   
inches above 6000 feet.  
* timing: this morning with snow showers and strong gusty winds   
continuing into this evening. 
* winds: up to 35 to 45 mph with gusts around 65 mph.
* visibility: near zero in blowing snow and dense fog.  
* impacts: travel will be difficult on the mountain roads.   
lower elevation roads will become icy wednesday night...
including possibly interstate 15 through cajon summit.  
precautionary/preparedness actions... 
a winter storm warning for heavy snow means severe winter weather conditions
are expected or occurring.  significant amounts of snow are forecast that
will make travel dangerous. only travel in an emergency. if you must travel...
keep an extra flashlight... food...clothing and water in your vehicle in case
of an emergency. hazardous driving conditions will exist due to slick and icy roads.
if possible...carry chains. 
  

Weather wrap

Here are some photos taken in the middle of Idyllwild this morning. It's so bright, we're all wearing sunglasses!!




The final rain totals were amazing. From Thursday, Dec. 16 through Wednesday, Dec. 22, Keenwild Ranger Station recorded 10.83 inches of rain. The average December rain is 3.39 inches, in one week, we had three times the average.

Since the beginning of the rain year (July 1, 2010), the total rain fall is 83 percent greater than the long-term average rainfall through Dec. 31.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Storm Damage

It's official more than 10 inches of rain at Keenwild.

this just in from Riverside County

County number available to report non-emergency problems related to storms

Residents in unincorporated areas of Riverside County who need to report non-emergency problems related to the recent storms may call the county Office of Emergency Services at (951) 955-4700. County staff will be available to answer the phones until 7 p.m. today (Wednesday) and from 7 a.m. to at least 5 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday).

Residents who have an emergency still should call 911 to ensure the fastest response.

Weather wet Christmas?

7:30 a.m.
I forgot to mention that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proclaimed a state of emergency in Kern, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo and Tulare counties due to extreme weather and storm conditions.

7:10a.m.
While the National Weather Service has a winter storm warning (see below) posted for Southern California mountains, including the San Jacintos, I believe the San Bernardino Mountains to the north are the more likely target.

It's still raining here. Quite a bit in the past 30 hours. Here's the rain data:

Since midnight 2.05 inches
Tuesday 1.93 inches
Since it began Thurs 9.06 inches

December's average rainfall 3.75 inches (since 1948)
December's avg rainfall 5.17 inches (since 2006)

Two wettest Decembers
1951 14.56
1966 18.05

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE  NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
416 AM PST WED DEC 22 2010

...PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOWFALL POSSIBLE IN THE MOUNTAINS THROUGH
WEDNESDAY...

.A FLOW OF MOISTURE FROM THE SOUTHWEST WILL BRING PERIODS OF
LIGHT SNOWFALL TONIGHT. FOR LATE TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...A
STRONGER...COLDER TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE FROM THE NORTHWEST WILL
BRING NUMEROUS SNOW SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY
SNOWFALL POSSIBLE ABOVE 6500 FEET.

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-RIVERSIDE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...BALDWIN LAKE...
BIG BEAR CITY...BIG BEAR LAKE...FAWNSKIN


...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM PST THIS
EVENING ABOVE 6500 FEET...

A WINTER STORM WARNING ABOVE 6500 FEET REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL
6 PM PST THIS EVENING.

* ELEVATION: ABOVE 6500 FEET.

* SNOW LEVELS: 6000 TO 6500 FEET...LOWERING TO 5000 TO 5500 FEET
  TODAY.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: NEW SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 10 TO 18 INCHES
  ABOVE 7000 FEET AND 6 TO 10 INCHES FROM 6000 TO 7000 FEET TODAY
  WITH A FEW INCHES OF SNOWFALL POSSIBLE BELOW 6000 FEET.

* TIMING: WIDESPREAD SNOWFALL THROUGH AROUND DAYBREAK ABOVE 6000
  TO 6500 FEET...THEN SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS
  THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON.

White Christmas??

SHORT TERM FORECAST      NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
945 AM PST TUE DEC 21 2010

MODERATE RAIN WILL CONTINUE THIS MORNING. LOCAL FLOODING OF LOW
LYING AREAS AND DEBRIS FLOWS WILL BE POSSIBLE NEAR THE FOOTHILLS.
THE HEAVIEST BAND OF RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO EXTEND FROM ORANGE
COUNTY...THROUGH THE NORTHERN INLAND EMPIRE...ACROSS THE SAN
BERNARDINO MOUNTAINS...AND INTO THE UPPER DESERTS. TRAVEL WILL BE
SLOW AND POSSIBLY DIFFICULT ON ALL ROADS THIS MORNING.


URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
418 AM PST TUE DEC 21 2010

...PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOWFALL POSSIBLE IN THE MOUNTAINS THROUGH WEDNESDAY...

.A FLOW OF MOISTURE FROM THE SOUTHWEST WILL BRING PERIODS OF LIGHT
TO LOCALLY MODERATE SNOWFALL TODAY. FOR TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...A
STRONGER...COLDER TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE FROM THE NORTHWEST WILL
BRING NUMEROUS SNOW SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY
SNOWFALL POSSIBLE ABOVE 7000 FEET.


SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-RIVERSIDE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...BALDWIN LAKE...
BIG BEAR CITY...BIG BEAR LAKE...FAWNSKIN
418 AM PST TUE DEC 21 2010

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM PST THIS EVENING
ABOVE 6500 FEET...
...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 PM
PST WEDNESDAY ABOVE 6500 FEET...


* ELEVATION: ABOVE 6500 FEET.

* SNOW LEVELS: 6000 TO 6500 FEET TODAY...MAY RISE BRIEFLY THIS
EVENING...BEFORE LOWERING TO 5000 TO 5500 FEET WEDNESDAY.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: 4 TO 8 INCHES ABOVE 6500 FEET TODAY. FOR
TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY...12 TO 24 INCHES ABOVE 7000 FEET WITH
4 TO 12 INCHES FROM 6000 TO 7000 FEET.

* TIMING: LIGHT TO LOCALLY MODERATE SNOWFALL TODAY. NUMEROUS SNOW
SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH
WEDNESDAY MORNING WITH HEAVY SNOWFALL POSSIBLE...DECREASING WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON AND ENDING WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

* LOCATIONS INCLUDE: BALDWIN LAKE...BIG BEAR CITY...BIG BEAR
  LAKE...FAWNSKIN

* WINDS: SOUTHWEST 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH TODAY. SOUTH
WINDS 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH TONIGHT...BECOMING
SOUTHWEST ON WEDNESDAY.

* VISIBILITY: AREAS OF NEAR ZERO VISIBILITY AT TIMES IN BLOWING
SNOW AND AREAS OF FOG.

* IMPACTS: A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE
WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT
AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS.
ONLY TRAVEL IN AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA
FLASHLIGHT... FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN
EMERGENCY.

No Hill fire stations closing, Poppet Flats affected

As part of proposed $4.4 million budget savings, Riverside County Fire Chief John Hawkins has recommended closing three fire stations. While none on the Hill, several nearby stations are affected, including Poppet Flats (Station 63) to the north and Lake Riverside (Station 77) to the southwest.

The career firefighter staff at these two stations and at El Cariso (Station 51) will be withdrawn and the stations will be staffed solely with Reserve volunteer firefighters. In addition, the two pages of proposals include the closing of a 2-person paramedic squad in Anza (station 29) and adding a single paramedic firefighter to the crew of CAL FIRE engine at the station.

Hawkins recommendations which included several other shifts and reductions were forwarded to County Executive Officer Bill Luna just be Thanksgiving. Luna has placed them on the Board of supervisors’ agenda for its meeting, Tuesday, Dec. 9.

None of the other recommendations have a direct affect on the Hill. For example, closing a 3-persone paramedic engine companies in Blythe, El Cerrito, West Riverside and Oasis.

Hawkins anticipates the changes will begin on Jan. 1, 2011 and will continue through next fiscal year. In a message to his the department, Hawkins said, "I know these reductions are difficult … I do know the Board of Supervisors all dearly respect our work and what we do. they also know we have tried to save budget funds over the last several years since the economic decline started during 2008."

While nearly 80 positions might be eliminated, current vacancies through Riverside County fire Department may limited the actual number of firefighters who are released to between 20 and 30.