Monday, February 16, 2009

City Downgrades to Green Flag Alert


The City of Sierra Madre has downgraded to a Green Flag Mud Alert for Sierra Madre residences in potential mud flow areas. The County of Los Angeles Public Works Department has declared a no phase mudflow forecast from the Santa Anita Fire burn area.
The City would like to thank the residents for their continued preparation and due diligence during this rainstorm.
Additional information on how to protect your home can be found on the City’s website,
www.cityofsierramadre.com. Mud incident updates can be found at www.sierramadrepio.blogspot.com.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Status Change Early Sunday Evening

LACDPW has issued a Phase II watch for Sierra Madre, and the City has upgraded to Red Flag Alert Status. Both notices are posted at www.SierraMudre.Info. The City's emergency blog address is http://sierramadrepio.blogspot.com

Friday, February 13, 2009

National Weather Service Predicts Storm Delay, Says We Could Receive Up To 7 Inches of Rain

2/13/09 10:45AM - Pulled from National Weather Service website, emphasis mine Latest models have slowed down the next significant storm system that was due to affect the forecast by Sunday. However...the progression has slowed nearly 8 to 12 hours. Therefore the  much stronger...storm system will begin to move across the area by Sunday  afternoon to the north and through Ventura and Los Angeles counties by Sunday night and persist through Monday night. The threat of precipitation will continue through Tuesday. At this time...rain should begin across San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties late Sunday afternoon...then spread into Ventura and Los Angeles counties  Sunday night and Monday. Periods of moderate to locally heavy rainfall can be expected Sunday night and Monday...with the rain turning to showers Monday night and Tuesday. Initial rainfall estimates for this system range from 1 to 3 inches for coast and valley locations...with between 2 and 5 inches in the foothills and mountains. Due to strong southerly flow ahead of the frontal system...south-facing slopes could receive locally higher amounts to 7 inches.

This is me here...didn't I read recently that we should expect La Nina conditions, i.e., a dry winter? How does up to 7 inches in one storm get defined as part of a dry winter?

Thursday, February 12, 2009

National Weather Service Predicts Heavy Rain This Weekend

Pulled from the National Weather Service website, late Saturday and Sunday are of particular concern:

ON FRIDAY...The first storm will move into the area with rain tapering off Friday night. Forecast mdls have begun to trend up the precip amounts with this storm as the front is forecast to hold together fairly well as it moves across the area. Current rainfall forecasts call for a half inch to an inch across the coasts and valleys with 1 TO 2 INCHES IN THE MOUNTAINS. There is a little burst of south winds with the front and this could cause locally higher amounts over the Santa Ynez mtns and the western coastal slopes of Ventura County. Snow levels will be quite low between 4000 and 5000 feet.


SATURDAY will be a transition day with SCATTERED SHOWERS but little in the way of additional rain or snow.

A second and stronger storm is expected for LATE SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY. This storm has the potential to bring significant rain to the area, especially south of Pt. Conception. Early estimates call for 1 to 3 inches of rain coast and valleys and 2 TO 5 INCHES MOUNTAINS, WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS ON THE USUAL FAVORED SOUTH FACING SLOPES. Snow levels will range from 4000 to 5000 feet.

Beyond Sunday the models diverge quickly. Both show a chance of rain Monday and Tuesday but with not a great deal of rainfall. The gfs mdl continues to show another significant storm either Wed or Thursday...but the European mdl now is forecasting a dry high pressure system. Will have to take a wait and see attitude with this extended time period.

Monday, February 9, 2009

CELL PHONE UPDATE City extended yellow flag alert at nine this morning

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Wistaria Festival Page Updated, Tickets Now Available Online

Sierra Madre News Net's Wistaria Festival page has now been updated with a video that features nearly 100 photos from the 2007 Festival (I was working in the park all day in 2008, so I have very few photos from last year. But that's okay, the vine was in better shape in 2007 than it was last year, so the pictures are better). The video soundtrack is audio I pulled from a video I shot of Horses on Astroturf performing "Love Me, Love Me, Not Fade Away/Magic Bus" in the park in 2008 (don't have many pictures, but since I was in the park by the bandshell, I shot more music videos than usual). Coincidentally, (okay, it was planned, not coincidental) the Sierra Madre Chamber of Commerce website has also been updated with an ordering system for shuttle tickets, using PayPal/Major Credit Cards.

This year's event is scheduled for March 15, 2009. This year's Wistaria Committee (yes, it's all volunteer, nobody hired except the bus drivers) encourages you to get your tickets early, because there's going to be a bunch of radio advertising starting up soon that will (hopefully) lead to beaucoup ticket sales to the targeted audience in the Inland Empire/San Gabriel Valley. KOLA 99 will be doing a remote broadcast from the Wistaria Festival for two hours that day, and nearly five dozen commercials will be broadcast beginning later this month.

So get your tickets while you can. There's a link to the Chamber's website and the ticket sales page on the News Net's Wistaria page, www.SierraMadreWistariaFestival.com. Be sure to watch the video, you never know - your picture might be in it!