As the weather forecast is firming up and pointing to moderate and at times heavy rain by the end of the week, probabilities are trending upward for wetter and colder conditions further out. Mountain snow looks solid, how low snow levels will drop and if valleys will also be affected is still being refined. Now is a great time to prepare for the series of storms.
The 8-14 day hazard outlook maps below call for potentially heavy rain and snow. Snow levels are forecast to lower as we get closer to the end of next week.
Be Prepared for Rain and Wind
During heavy rain events, give yourself extra time to drive safely. Report any flooding, mudslides or downed trees on county-maintained roadways at public.works@nevadacountyca.gov or 530-265-1411. Crews are on-call after hours to respond to urgent issues.
Nevada County Sanitation District customers can report emergent issues 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 530-265-1555.
No-Cost Sand, Bring Your Own Bag (BYOB)
Self-serve sand is available to Nevada County residents at no cost. Bring your own shovel and sandbags to one of the four locations in western Nevada County:
- Next to the Nevada County Warehouse located at: the corner of Highway 49 and East Broad Street, Nevada City, CA 95959
- Penn Valley Fire Protection District located at: 10513 Spenceville Road, Penn Valley, CA 95946
- North San Juan Community Hall located at: 10057 Reservoir Street, North San Juan, CA 95960
- Higgins Fire Department located at: 10106 Combie Road, Auburn, CA 95602
Sandbags are available for purchase online or at various local businesses or hardware stores, but plan ahead for holiday closures or reduced hours.
More information is available at www.ReadyNevadaCounty.org/Sand.
OES ready for winter
Last week, Nevada County Office of Emergency Services (OES) led a winter weather response exercise with more than 70 key participants from across the state, according to a news release. “Our goal with the exercise was to collaborate with local and state agencies to ensure we are prepared to effectively respond to the needs of our community during severe winter weather,” a quote from Paul Cummings, Nevada County Office of Emergency Services program manager reads.
More prep tips:
- Pick up any prescription medication you may need before the storm(s) hits.
- Charge your electronic devices and check your flashlight and radio batteries.
- Have repair supplies available.
- Secure any outdoor furniture.
- Be aware of changing conditions and monitor your local media for weather alerts and updates.
- Call 211 for people needing shelter.
- If you are using firewood as a primary or backup heat source, make sure you have sufficient dry, seasoned wood available.
Safety tips from PG&E:
If outages occur:
- Stay away from downed power lines. Treat all downed power lines as if they are energized and extremely dangerous. Keep yourself and others well away from them and immediately call 911, then notify PG&E’s 24-hour emergency and customer service line at 1-800-743-5002.
- Candles pose a fire risk. Avoid using them during a power outage. If you must use candles, keep them away from drapes, lampshades and small children. Do not leave candles unattended.
- If your power goes out, unplug or turn off electric appliances to avoid overloading circuits and fire hazards when power is restored. Simply leave a single lamp on to alert you when power returns. Turn your appliances back on one at a time when conditions return to normal.