Nov. 22, 2024 | November Atmospheric River/Flood Update

Starting on Nov. 19, Humboldt County and surrounding regions in the Pacific Northwest have been impacted by an atmospheric river, intensified by a bomb cyclone. The storm has brought heavy and continued rainfall and strong winds, resulting in county-wide flood and wind advisories and/or warnings from the National Weather Service.

The Humboldt County Sheriff's Office of Emergency Services (OES) continues to urge residents to prepare themselves for ongoing storm impacts, although the immediate threat to life and safety has been reduced due to weather trends and the risk of flooding downgrading in intensity.

The National Weather Service (NWS) predicts rainfall to continue lightly in the coming days; however, the decrease in rain doesn't completely eliminate the risk of flooding. Storm-related impacts such as regional power outages, fallen trees and minor impacts to our roadways may continue, and conditions will remain closely monitored in coordination with other local agencies and partners. The Humboldt County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is continuing to provide public information, impact assessment, and situational awareness related to the storm.

There is no current closure on Highway 211 at Fernbridge and, based on forecast projections, access to Ferndale is not anticipated to be impacted at this time.

Evacuation Information

Evacuation Orders Downgraded
Evacuation Orders have been downgraded to an EVACUATION WARNING for the following zones:

• HUM-E101-A: north of Eel River, south of Cannibal Island Rd., east of Pacific Ocean, west Eel River Dr./Hawks Hill Rd.
• HUM-E105-B: north of Riverside Rd./Dillon Rd., south of Cockrobin Island Rd./Cannibal Island Rd., east of Riverside Rd., west of Nissen Ln./Dillon Rd.
• HUM-E106-B: north of Goble Ln., south of Cockrobin Island Rd., east of Nissen Ln, Dillon Rd., north of Eel River Dr, State Highway 211.
• HUM-E110-A: north of Pleasant Point Rd/Grizzly Bluff Rd, south of Redwood Hwy, east of State Highway 211/Waddington Rd., west of Riverwalk Dr./Dinsmore Dr.

Residents in zones that were previously Evacuation Orders may now return home but should remain cautious and prepared to leave again quickly if conditions worsen. Stay alert for potential hazards when returning to your residence or property, including debris and/or water on roadways.

Evacuation Warnings Remain in Place
There are no remaining zones under an Evacuation Order, but following zones remain under an Evacuation Warning:

Eel River:

• HUM-E101-A: north of Eel River, south of Cannibal Island Rd., east of Pacific Ocean, west Eel River Dr./Hawks Hill Rd.
• HUM-E101-B: north of Cannibal Island Rd., south of Phelan Rd., east of Cannibal Rd, west of Redwood Hwy/Hawks Hill Rd.
• HUM-E105-B: north of Riverside Rd./Dillon Rd., south of Cockrobin Island Rd./Cannibal Island Rd., east of Riverside Rd., west of Nissen Ln./Dillon Rd.
• HUM-E105-A: north of Centerville Rd., South of Riverside Rd., east of Pacific Ocean, west of Port Kenyon Rd./Riverside Rd.
• HUM-E106-B: north of Goble Ln., south of Cockrobin Island Rd., east of Nissen Ln, Dillon Rd., north of Eel River Dr, State Highway 211.
• HUM-E106-A: north of Port Kenyon Rd., south of Goble Ln., east of Port Kenyon Rd./Riverside Rd., west of State Highway 211/Goble Ln.
• HUM-E107: north of Fernbridge/Singley Bar Rd., south of Singley Rd., east of Singley Bar Rd., north of Fernbridge/Redwood Highway.
• HUM-E110-A: north of Pleasant Point Rd/Grizzly Bluff Rd, south of Redwood Hwy, east of State Highway 211/Waddington Rd., west of Riverwalk Dr./Dinsmore Dr.
• HUM-E110-B: north of Grizzly Bluff Rd., south of Pleasant Point Rd., east of Waddington Rd., west of Pleasant Point Rd.
• HUM-E119: north of Price Creek School Rd., south of Grizzly Bluff Rd., east of Regli Ln., west of East Ferry Rd./Sandy Prairie Rd.
• FOR-E012: north of Fowler Lane/Sandy Prairie Road/Redwood Highway, south of Redwood Highway, east of Drake Hill Rd., west of Redwood Highway.

Van Duzen River:

• FOR-E016-A: north of Riverbar Rd., south of Demello Rd., east of US Highway 101/Sandy Prairie Rd, west of Riverbar Rd./Rocky Ln.
• HUM-E138-B: Grizzly Creek Campground/State Park area.

Mad River:

• ARC-E001-B: north of Lamphere Rd., south of Fischer Ave./Mad River Rd., east of Pacific Ocean, west of Miller Ln/US-101 N/Mad River Rd.
• HUM-E033-B: north of Mad River Rd., south of School Rd./Stapp Rd., east of Pacific Ocean, west of US-101.

Conditions are subject to change at any time. Please visit protect.genasys.com for full zone descriptions. For more information, call 707-268-2500 or go to humboldtsheriff.org/emergency.

For updated road closure information, visit protect.genasys.com or humboldtsheriff.org/emergency. Visit humboldtgov.org/roads for the latest updates on county road closures and conditions.

All residents are encouraged to remain prepared for future emergencies by signing up for emergency alerts at humboldtgov.org/alerts.

Evacuation Center Closure

As of 1 p.m. today, Nov. 22, the Evacuation Center at the Fortuna Firemen's Pavilion will be closed. This Evacuation Center was established yesterday by the Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services and American Red Cross-Gold Country Region.

Stay Prepared

Flood Safety
If you encounter flooding here are key flood safety tips to remember:

• Do not walk, swim or drive through flood waters. Turn Around, Don't Drown!
• Just six inches of moving water can knock you down, and one foot of moving water can sweep your vehicle away.
• Stay off bridges over fast-moving water.
• Stay inside your car if it is trapped in rapidly moving water. Get on the roof if water is rising inside the car.
• Find safe shelter right away.
• Get to the highest level if trapped in a building. Only get on the roof if necessary and once there signal for help. Do not climb into a closed attic to avoid getting trapped by rising floodwater.
• Contact with floodwater should be avoided, wherever possible, as it may contain untreated sewage or other harmful contaminants. Sewage overflows have been reported by local service districts as a result of stormwater infiltration exceeding the capacity of their facilities and may affect your area.
• Washing hands with water known to be safe and changing into dry clothing and shoes, after incidental exposure to flood waters, will reduce concerns with communicable diseases.
• Residents with wells or water systems impacted by floodwaters should not consume the water until the system has been tested to confirm that the water quality meets safe drinking water standards. As a temporary measure, bottled water may be used for drinking and cooking.
  

Learn more flood safety tips at ready.gov/floods.

Know Your Zone
All Humboldt County residents are encouraged to know their zone. Humboldt County has been split into 300+ numerical evacuation zones which may be modified to meet the needs of an active emergency. Zones may be split may be into new zones to better accommodate emergency notifications and to reduce or expand zone status. Find your evacuation zone at protect.genasys.com.

Be Prepared
Continuous rain in the forecast may bring risk of downed trees, potential minor flooding in low-lying areas, creeks and streams, power outages and potential road blockages. For emergency preparedness tips and resources, please visit humboldtgov.org/prepare.

Try to stay off the roads unless travel is necessary. If you do need to travel, please review the Caltrans Quickmap to check road conditions along your planned route.

Be Cautious of Downed Power Lines
If you encounter a downed power line, call 9-1-1 IMMEDIATELY to report its location and then PG&E at 1-800-743-5002. Be sure to stay at least 35 feet away and wait for help to arrive. NEVER touch a downed power line or go near one. Here are some more safety tips if you come across a downed power line:

• Keep others and pets away.
• You cannot tell whether or not a power line is energized just by looking at it, so consider all downed power lines live and dangerous.
• Do not drive over a fallen power line.
• Stay away from flooded areas and downed trees during and after a storm. These areas could be hiding an energized power line.

To check current power outages for your area visit the PG&E Outage Center Map.

Sign Up for Humboldt Alert
Humboldt County residents are encouraged to sign up for Humboldt Alert to receive local emergency notifications, including information regarding evacuations and emergency sheltering in the event of a disaster. Residents can sign up by going to humboldtgov.org/alert.

For updated information regarding the Humboldt County storm response please visit www.humboldtgov.org/emergency , follow @HumCoOES on Facebook and X or call 707-268-2500.

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