California, Nevada Take A Beating

Humboldt County, California (home to Eureka) took quite a beating yesterday. The National Weather Service reported:

- Sequoia trees have been reported down in the famous Sequoia park.
-- A vessel in Humboldt bay reported wind gusts of 84 mph.
- 59,000 people were without power
- Many reports of trees down, shingles lost, other minor structural damage

Reports of flooding and mudslides abounded in California yesterday. This article puts the total number of residents without power in the Bay area at 120,000 and says Interstate 80 will likely be closed for two more days. In Nevada, where a 122-mph wind gust was recorded yesterday, they say the flooding is the worst in six years.

Cars traveling westbound on Interstate 80 are slowed by floodwater early Saturday, Dec. 31, 2005, in Fairfield, Calif. A powerful storm plowed through Northern California on Saturday, causing mudslides and widespread flooding and snarling holiday traffic from Sonoma to Monterey. Evacuations were encouraged along the Napa River and hillside homeowners were urged to collect valuables, gather emergency supplies and identify escape routes. (AP Photo/The Reporter, Brad Zweerink)

You can see a complete report of high wind gusts from the past two days in yesterday's blog entry.

Today, winds could gust as high as 80 mph again from Eureka northward into British Columbia.

Barbee Bascom looks around her flooded condominium at the Woodside complex Saturday, Dec. 31, 2005 in Sacramento, Calif. A powerful winter storm barreled through Northern California early Saturday, causing record flooding and mudslides that shut down major roadways. (AP Photo/Sacramento Bee, Bryan Patrick)