The first, and stronger, of two storm systems forecast for the week took out power for more than 4,000 Santa Cruz County residents and closed a few roads on Wednesday.
Weather
Rain, wind and possible thunderstorms will linger over Santa Cruz County for most of the next week
Two wet weather systems will roll into Santa Cruz County starting Tuesday afternoon, bringing rain, wind and possible thunderstorms through the coming weekend. The National Weather Service will mull issuing beach hazards statements if the swell reaches higher levels than are currently anticipated.
How did Santa Cruz County stack up with the U.S.’s coldest January on record since 1988?
January marked the coldest January in the contiguous United States in decades, mostly due to a distorted polar vortex that brought colder weather down from the Arctic. However, it was more of the same in Santa Cruz County, with temperatures largely mirroring those of past Januarys. Still, the vortex can and has brought cold, wet weather to the region, including this month’s atmospheric river.
Brunt of storm has passed, says NWS; evacuation orders lifted
A National Weather Service meteorologist said the main rain band of the latest atmospheric river had passed through Santa Cruz County as of midday Thursday, with only mild to moderate rain expected through Friday. A few weather warnings will remain in effect until Saturday, but the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office has lifted all of its evacuation orders.
Flood warnings turn to evacuation orders in Felton, Watsonville; Santa Cruz closes wharf Friday with high surf forecast
Residents of the Felton Grove neighborhood along the San Lorenzo River and of areas of Watsonville along Corralitos and Salsipuedes creeks were ordered to evacuate Thursday morning after heavy rains. In Santa Cruz, the city will close the municipal wharf Friday with big swells forecast.
Latest storm system headed for Santa Cruz County brings elevated flood, landslide risk
The Santa Cruz Mountains could see 8 inches of rain, and the rest of the county as much as 6 inches, as another winter storm barrels into the area beginning Tuesday evening. The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch from Wednesday evening through Saturday evening.
Strong winds and rain lead to power outages in Santa Cruz County; 1,800 still dark early Wednesday
After a blustery Tuesday afternoon that knocked out power to more than 3,000 Pacific Gas & Electric customers in Santa Cruz, more than 1,800 were in the dark as of 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, mainly in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
With incoming atmospheric river, all of Santa Cruz County under flood watch Monday afternoon through Wednesday morning
An atmospheric river is heading for parts of Northern California and the Central Coast and is expected to bring heavy rainfall and possible flooding to parts of Santa Cruz County. A flood watch will be in effect for the county from 4 p.m. Monday into early Wednesday.
Atmospheric river set to soak Santa Cruz County through next week, but flood risk is low
An atmospheric river is forecast to bring steady rain to Northern California from Friday through next Thursday, with Santa Cruz County expecting as much as 8 inches at its highest elevations.
Determining what went wrong during Santa Cruz Wharf collapse will be long process, city says
Santa Cruz officials are investigating the Dec. 23 wharf collapse, which caused nearly $19 million in damage. The city has approved a recovery package and is planning a structural analysis to determine future steps.

