Atmospheric River Flooding Forces Road Closures, Landslides Across Humboldt County

The National Weather Service warned that the Eel River at Fernbridge is expected to rise above flood stage and crest at 20.6 feet just after midnight, as heavy rain from an atmospheric-river event produced widespread flooding, landslides and road closures across Humboldt County. “The river is expected to rise to above flood stage around 9 PM this evening to a crest of 20.6 feet just after midnight tonight. It will then fall below flood stage Wednesday morning,” the NWS wrote, a warning reproduced on local outlets.

Humboldt County Public Works posted a graphic listing flooded roads and a separate list of roads fully closed as of 4:30 p.m. Sunday, naming Pine Hill Road at the intersection of Elk River Road and the Elk River Slough bridge, Cannibal Road at Cock Robin Island Road to the beach, and Camp Weott Road among flooded sites. The county listed full closures including King Salmon Avenue, Halibut Street, Perch Street, Crab Street, Sole Street, Herring Street, Cod Street, Buhne Drive, Meridian Road at mile marker .5 to .9, Coffee Creek Road at mile marker 1.00 to 1.25, and Dillon Road between address numbers 620 to 197. Humboldt County Public Works advised: “Unless you are a resident in any nearby area, or you are certain your vehicle can drive through, it is strongly advised to use alternate routes.”

Caltrans District 1 crews cleared a roughly 150 cubic yard slide on Hwy. 299 near Willow Creek earlier this morning, reopening a southbound lane after about an hour-long closure; Redwoodnews TV footage showed hundreds of cars stuck in a standstill headed north during the closure. CHP Humboldt reported heavy rain causing flooding on numerous state routes and county roads, and advised drivers to avoid flooded areas, use detours, headlights, and reduce speed; CHP’s brief also noted a landslde blocking lanes near Willow Creek and localized flooding at various spots including “Arcat.”

Early-morning Doppler radar and automated rain gauges recorded heavy rainfall at 5:41 a.m., with Kymkemp of Redheaded Blackbelt reporting between 1 and 2 inches had already fallen and an additional inch possible that morning. Kymkemp summarized forecast totals through Tuesday night of 2 to 5 inches across much of Humboldt, Del Norte, southern Trinity and northern Mendocino counties, with locally higher amounts on windward terrain; Mattole Valley communities Honeydew and Petrolia were expected to see 3 to 4 inches and Hoopa Valley about 3 inches. Kymkemp also reported the Mad River reached moderate flood stage at about 24 feet just after 4:30 p.m.

Forecast messaging shifted during the day: an earlier Kymkemp update noted the Russian River at Hopland was predicted to crest at minor flooding about 7 p.m., while later NWS products and local reporting focused on the Eel River crest at Fernbridge. The NWS cautioned about rock and landslides along roadways and urged people to monitor later forecasts and be alert for follow-up advisories.

Emergency teams were active on the ground. The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue and Swift Water Rescue teams assisted residents in the Freshwater area to get out of homes and move to higher ground, according to local reporting. KRCR relayed a livestock warning: “A Special Action Advisory is being issued to all owners of livestock in low-lying areas of the Eel Delta. They said owners should consider taking appropriate action to protect livestock.” The NWS safety admonition was blunt: “Never drive your car into water of unknown depth. Most flood deaths occur when people drive their vehicles into flood waters.”

Officials urged motorists and livestock owners to follow updates from Caltrans District 1, CHP Humboldt and Humboldt County Public Works and to monitor the evolving NWS river forecast as waters rise overnight.