Tag Archives: big storm

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Scoliopus bigelovii has two strange common names - Fetid Adder's Tongue and Slink Pod. They are our earliest blooming wildflowers and they are found on the forest floor. The tiny, exquisite blooms come up first, with the stem barely cupped by the emerging leaves. The blooms are only about an inch or so high, so they are quite hard to spot. I recently showed photographer Craig Tooley where they were blooming on a neighbor's property.

They are members of the Lily family. The flowers will be long gone when the leaves fully emerge. If you find the large mottled leaves in the spring, note where they are growing so you can look for the flowers next winter. Rick and I always started looking for them on Christmas Day, and this year I found the first one on Dec. 26th.

Thanks to Craig for allowing me to share his photo with you here. To see much more of Craig's nature photography, here is the link to his website: http://www.ruffimage.com

Much of the Mendonoma Coast has no power. The towns of Gualala, Anchor Bay and Point Arena are without power since yesterday's storm. I am posting this with the help of a backup generator. We had a wild and very windy storm, which was the culprit for the power outages. Many trees are down. It will be several days before power is restored. The rain totals for yesterday's storm was 2.45 inches, 29.95 season to date.

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Perry Hoffman slowly approached the resting Harbor Seals, who were lounging on the sandbar on a sunny day. Don't they look happy and contented?

A Common Raven appeared, perhaps looking for remnants of the Harbor Seals' meal. The Harbor Seals didn't seem to mind.

Lastly, Perry saw a beautiful rainbow on New Year's Eve.

Now that's a nice sighting for the last day of the year.

Thanks to Perry for allowing me to share his photos with you here. To see much more of Perry's nature photography, here is the link to his website: https://magentaraven.com/

A big storm is hitting the Mendonoma Coast now. With the first wave, in the wee hours of Wednesday, we received 0.75 inches. Lots more coming down now. Power it out for many of us. I am fortunate to have a backup generator, which is how I can send this to you today. Batten down the hatches!

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A huge storm is slamming into Northern California today, Sunday. It was more than enough to fill the Gualala River to the brim and then for the river to breach the sandbar. Bob Rutemoeller braved the rain to get these photos late this morning.

You will see the river opened at the far southern point. Here are two more photos of the raging Gualala River, with downed trees being swept out to sea. Steelhead will also be swept out to sea to begin the next stage of their lives. In the days ahead, different Steelhead will be entering the river, to make their way upriver to spawn.

And this is just what you shouldn't do when the river is opening - walk on the sandbar.

Thanks to Bob for allowing me to share his photos with you here.

A massive storm system arrived late yesterday. Early this morning I found 4.95 inches in our rain gauge. Since then another two+ inches has fallen and it's still pouring as I type this. So, seven inches and counting! Wow!

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The Gualala River has a sandbar that "closes" the river mouth to the Pacific Ocean. Some water seeps through the sand, of course. But the river is essentially closed for many months. It's always exciting when, after enough rain, the river bursts through the sandbar. Bob Rutemoeller found the river opened on Monday.

Doggone it, I missed the opening! It's possible that it opened in the early hours of the day, in darkness.

Thanks to Bob for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

Another big storm is approaching the coast. We could have several inches of rain from this one. The seasonal creek that crosses our property, Quinliven Creek, is primed to come alive. The ponds are nearly full and this storm is sure to fill them to the brim. I love it when the creek comes alive, being able to watch the cascades and listen to the music it plays.

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We got 8.1 inches during the "river of rain" event which ended yesterday, Saturday. The seasonal creek that crosses our property was doing its best impression of a mighty river. Here's Quinliven Creek during the tail end of the storm.

When we get a lot of rain, a hidden grotto with a cascade is revealed.

Here are two videos of the action.

Flooding at Quinliven Creek by Jeanne Jackson

Quinliven Creek by Jeanne Jackson

And today is sunny and oh-so-lovely. The Pacific Ocean is all riled up from the storm with big waves crashing against coastal bluffs and beaches. It's a great time to be on the Mendonoma coast!