A bomb cyclone is headed toward Vancouver Island and Humboldt County is expected to get hit with the tail end of it, bringing high winds and rain. The bomb cyclone, which is caused by the collision of cold Artic winds and subtropical moisture, is pushing an atmospheric river onto Northern California, with Humboldt County expected to experience moderate risk of excessive rainfall this this week, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The county is expected to experience high winds and flooding tonight and Wednesday morning that could last until Saturday.
While it is not uncommon for the county to experience similar storms this time of year, Troy Nicolini, meteorologist in-charge at the Eureka NOAA, warned of the dangers of the incoming system.
“This could be an unusually strong and potent storm,” Nicolini warned.
He said winds will be high enough that knocked over trees will “almost certainly” occur.
Nicolini advised residents to prepare for power outages and discouraged traveling tonight and Wednesday morning. He said residents should avoid driving if possible, but if they have to, to make sure to slow down on the road in case of incoming debris or flooded streets.
NOAA has issued a high-wind warning projected from 4 p.m. today to 4 a.m. Wednesday. There will be south-southeast winds of 25 to 45 miles per hour, with gusts up to 65 miles per hour. Winds could reach over 75 miles per hour on ridgetops, the advisory warned, with coastal headlands and exposed ridges having the strongest winds.
The Eel River is projected to hit a moderate flood stage, expected to rise rapidly from 14.3 feet on Thursday to a high of 23.44 feet Friday. There is a flood watch from Wednesday morning to Friday morning.
NOAA is expecting 3 to 5 inches of rain tonight and tomorrow across Northern California, with up to 9 inches in localized areas of Humboldt and northern Mendocino counties. It is also expected for an additional two to four inches to come down on Thursday.
Nicolini said residents should expect flooding on town streets, intersections, small streams, creaks and ponds. There is also risk of rock and mudslides on the road.
The Eureka NOAA office provides sandbag training and local farms and landscaping companies currently sell sandbags for anyone whose home is prone to flooding. Free supplies are also offered by cities within the county. For more information, check here.
This article appears in Community Connection.