I went to check on the Gualala River yesterday, Friday. We have had 6.8 inches of rain and I knew the river would be a big beneficiary of the wet stuff. I drove in to Gualala Point Regional Park and parked at the iconic bend in the river site. Here's what I saw.
It is already raining here on the Mendonoma Coast today. I believe the Gualala River could open with this big rainstorm. A large - maybe the largest ever - sandbar has the river "closed" to the Pacific Ocean. When the river opens to the ocean for the first time in many months, bursting through the sandbar, it can be a spectacular event. The best place to watch it is from the Gualala Bluff Trail. Be safe and stay off of the sandbar - we don't want to lose anybody!
The weather today is WET! I also checked Quinliven Creek yesterday, a seasonal creek that crosses our property. It was running in the upper reaches but not the lower part. I'm sure that's going to change today. To have this early rain is such a blessing. Thank you, Mother Nature.