After a prolonged period of light to moderate rainfall across the two counties, a strong atmospheric river brought heavy rain to the area on January 5th. This resulted in numerous reports of flooding and closed highways, particularly in the two county area.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS EKA wrote it up.
After a prolonged period of light to moderate rainfall across the two counties, a strong atmospheric river brought heavy rain to the area on January 5th. This resulted in numerous reports of flooding and closed highways, particularly in the two county area.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Eureka, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 1, 1:02 AM PST, 13 hours 27 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
National Weather Service Eureka CA
102 AM PST Thu Jan 1 2026
.SYNOPSIS...Light to moderate rain will continue through the day
today, followed by a frontal system with moderate to heavy rain,
high mountain snow, and gusty winds on Friday into Friday night.
Chances for moderate to perhaps locally major coastal flooding
increase Friday through Saturday. Bouts of rain and gusty winds
are forecast to continue into the weekend and likely early next
week.
&&
.DISCUSSION...The first in a series of storm systems is now moving
through northwest California producing light to moderate
rainfall throughout the region. Up to 0.75" has been recorded in
parts of Mendocino and Lake counties as of this writing with much
less rain off to the north in northern Humboldt and Del Norte.
Looking at the model guidance, this rain is on the wetter side of
the model envelope through 06Z. Additional rainfall is expected
through the day on Thursday as the area of low pressure moves
northeast across California. This rain will help to prime the
environment for what is to come Friday and into the weekend.
A more potent front will approach the region on Friday, first
bringing increasing southerly winds across the entire region.
Ridgetop winds could reach advisory levels by late Friday morning
across Humboldt and Del Norte counties, expanding inland through
the day. The front will then rapidly move through the region
during the evening or overnight hours Friday night with a narrow
band of potentially very strong winds which could mix down to the
coastal plain. Wind advisories have been issued for all coastal
areas and coastal ridge tops. Wind advisories may also be needed
into Lake County but confidence is not yet high enough to expand
into that area at this time. There may be a quick hit of stronger
winds to warning levels on the ridgetops near Cape Mendocino and
a high wind watch is in effect for that area. Behind this front a
secondary low will approach the northwest California coast within
a more unstable, mixed atmosphere. It is highly likely that this
low will bring another round of strong southerlies on Saturday,
especially in Humboldt and Del Norte counties, and the winds could
mix better down to the coastal plain and again bring strong winds
to the ridgetops.
In addition to the wind from these two systems, heavy rain is also
expected. Guidance is now in very good agreement on a band of rain
with heavy rain rates rapidly moving through the region in advance
of the front. Total rainfall is not expected to be exceptionally
heavy, around 1-3 inches across the region, but this rain should
allow for many small streams to begin to rise. Quickly behind this
front the rain will re-enhance as the secondary low approaches and
an atmospheric river may aim toward Humboldt, Trinity, Mendocino,
and Lake counties. Guidance continues to increase the rainfall
potential and Saturday into Sunday. Overall rainfall during the
Thursday through Monday time period could range from 3-6 inches
across the region with locally higher amounts up to 8 inches. This
heavy rain could easily result in small stream flooding and even
main stem rivers reaching critical flood levels. Thus, a flood watch
has been issued for all of Humboldt, Mendocino, and Lake counties.
If these trends continue it will be highly likely that flood
advisories and/or warnings will be needed this weekend into Monday.
/RPA
&&
.AVIATION...A shield of rain has spread over Northwest California
with light to moderate rain rates at times. Rain will persist
through much of Thursday. Southerly winds aloft will begin to
increase on Thursday resulting in some wind shear at Ukiah, but
otherwise mostly light winds are anticipated through the period.
Mostly MVFR ceilings and visibilities are expected at the TAF
sites however periods of IFR are likely in periods of moderate
rain and where fog attempts to form in the interior valleys. /RPA
&&
.MARINE...Southerly winds are now beginning to increase over the
coastal waters as an area of low pressure south of the area
moves north. This system will move inland on Thursday but another
front will quickly approach the waters behind the departing
system. Southerly winds will ramp up across the outer and southern
inner water zones late Thursday night into Friday morning with
gale force winds expected and a few storm force gusts possible as
the front approaches Friday afternoon/evening. There is some
uncertainty as to how much of this wind makes it within 10 nm of
the coast north of Humboldt Bay, so this zone has not been
included in the gale warning, but wind gusts to gale are certainly
possible. Winds will decrease slightly early Saturday morning to
possibly just below gale but then another low will approach,
potentially stronger then the last, allowing winds to increase to
above gale for most of the waters and potentially exceeding storm
in the northern outer zone Saturday afternoon and evening. All of
these strong southerly winds will allow seas to build and become
very steep. Seas could exceed 20 feet by Saturday afternoon in the
outer waters zone and some of these steep seas will propagate
toward the coast. Winds will decrease overnight into Sunday
morning as the low moves off to the north and moderate southerlies
will then persist into Monday as stormy conditions continue. /RPA
&&
.HYDROLOGY...A series of atmospheric rivers will bring an increased
risk for urban and small stream flooding late this week, through the
weekend and likely into next week. Mainstem rivers will also likely
rise sharply and will need to be monitored for possible flood stage
exceedance. Be on the lookout for watches, advisories, and warnings
as this next heavy rain event unfolds. Stay alert and remember to
never attempt to drive through water covered roads. Water may be
moving much faster than you think. /RPA
&&
.COASTAL FLOODING...A period of very high tides will continue
through the 4th. The north spit tide gauge already recorded a 9.07
ft high tide Wednesday morning. The storm surge models continue to
show over foot of surge, now verified at the north spit tide gauge
as of 11 pm on the 31st, but higher amounts are possible with strong
southerly winds expected to line up with the highest tides.
High tides will likely reach 9.3 to 9.6 ft Thursday. A Coastal Flood
Warning has been issued for Humboldt Bay. The storm surge model has
been consistently modeling a high tide up to 10 ft at North Spit
Friday and again Saturday. This scenario would bring 1 to 1.5 feet
of saltwater onto normally dry ground around Humboldt Bay, and this
is plausible if the strong winds, heavy rainfall and building high
surf align. Outside of Humboldt Bay, the storm surge model is also
showing over a foot of storm surge with at least advisory thresholds
being met along the outer coast during high tide. Strong winds and
large surf could cause waves to wash onto roads exposed to the surf
including Highway 101 south of Crescent City, Pebble Beach in
Crescent City, Moonstone Beach parking lot, Centerville Beach road
and parking lot, low spots along Highway 1 on the Mendocino coast,
and other near coast infrastructure. At this time surf isn't
expected to be exceptionally large, so elevated locations like the
homes in Shelter Cove are less likely to be impacted but it isn't
out of the question as a possibility both Friday and Saturday at
high tide if larger seas materialize. Because of all of these
possibilities, a Coastal Flood Watch remains Thursday through
Saturday for the entire coastline, and further warning issuance
should be expected each day. Though the watch is in effect for the
entire day, the flood threat is only 1-2 hours before and after the
morning high tides. /RPA
&&
.EKA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...
Coastal Flood Watch from 11 AM PST this morning through
Saturday afternoon for CAZ101-103-104-109.
Wind Advisory from 1 PM Friday to 10 PM PST Saturday for
CAZ101>103-105-106-109-110-112.
Coastal Flood Warning from 7 AM to 11 AM PST this morning
for CAZ103.
Flood Watch from Friday afternoon through Sunday evening
for CAZ103>106-108>115.
High Wind Watch from Friday morning through late Saturday
night for CAZ104.
NORTHWEST CALIFORNIA COASTAL WATERS...
Coastal Flood Warning from 7 AM to 11 AM PST this morning
for PZZ415.
Small Craft Advisory from 4 PM this afternoon to 2 AM PST
Saturday for PZZ450.
Gale Watch from late Friday night through Saturday evening
for PZZ450.
Small Craft Advisory from 4 PM this afternoon to 6 AM PST
Friday for PZZ455.
Gale Warning from 6 AM Friday to 4 AM PST Saturday for
PZZ455.
Small Craft Advisory from 11 AM this morning to 2 AM PST
Friday for PZZ470-475.
Gale Warning from 2 AM Friday to 11 PM PST Saturday for
PZZ470-475.
&&
NOTE: The full forecast discussion is now regularly issued between
10 am/pm and 1 pm/am. Additional updates will be issued as needed.
Visit us at https://www.weather.gov/eureka
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For forecast zone information
see the forecast zone map online:
https://www.weather.gov/images/eka/zonemap.pngThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
9 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Water crossing both lanes at the intersection of Highway 101 and Old River Road.
Heavy rain overwhelmed a culvert causing water to flow over the roadway on Highway 128 near Highway 1. Approximately two inches of water was over the roadway in both lanes.
Highway 128 closed due to flooding from the Navarro River and its tributaries. The river reached official flood stage around 10 pm on the 5th for a few hours.
The Russian River exceeded flood stage at the Hopland Gauge around noon on the 5th causing flooding of Highway 175 and a full closure of the road east of Hopland. The river fell below flood stage during the morning of the 6th.
Highway 20 flooded at the intersection of Bartlett Springs Road.
Scotts Valley Road closed east of Hendricks Road due to flooding.
Babcock Lane flooded just north of Talmage Road. The flooding resulted in a full closure of the road.
Roadway flooded by Kelsey Creek near the intersection of Gaddy Lane and Loasa Road.
Scott Valley Road flooded and closed near Highway 20.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in California, January 2026
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1316961, 1316959, 1316970, 1316965, 1316960, 1316968, 1316962, 1316964, 1316966.