The weekend storm downed a number of trees and power lines, temporarily closing roads and knocking out power to several hundred PG&E customers, but otherwise causing little damage compared to this winter’s previous wet spell.
Between 4 and 9 inches of rain pelted parts of Lake County, buffeted by high winds that reportedly sank a boat docked at Rocky Point in Lakeport. Witnesses said the craft was battered against the dock and shredded. The deluge also pushed Clear Lake above 4 feet on the Rumsey Gauge as of Monday afternoon.
The lake will continue to rise as streams pump runoff into the basin.
Although fallen trees were reported throughout the county, one of the most damaging examples occurred on Cobb Mountain. The incident knocked down utility lines and closed Loch Lomond Road. As of Monday morning, PG&E reported more than 500 Cobb area residences and businesses without power as a result of this tree and other factors.
In Kelseyville a shattered power pole near Lampson Field cut electricity to 34 households. Tree trunks in contact with power lines between Kelseyville and Lower Lake put more homes in the dark. In a more dramatic incident, a sizeable trunk crashed through the roof of a Kelseyville woman’s home on Friday, according to reports.
Other outages were scattered around the area.
High winds were responsible for downed power lines that closed Hillcrest Road in Lakeport until Monday afternoon and a large tree fell across Smith Street in front of the Lake County Probation Department building in Lakeport, causing damage to at least one utility pole.
Almost 3 inches of rain soaked Lakeport on Friday. Another 1.11 followed on Sunday, with belts of wet weather both Saturday and Monday morning.
It was the same story throughout Lake County. Another toppled tree severed a line to a house at 9th and Brush in Lakeport. Dry Creek Road in Middletown was temporarily blocked by one tree and other storm-related causes cut power to a few homes.
Hill Road in Lakeport was closed to all traffic near Sutter Lakeside Hospital due to mudslide concerns. Meanwhile, the Lake County Public Works Department shut down access to Reiff Road in Lower Lake because of “winter road conditions” — although residents were allowed access to their properties.
Nearby, record breaking rainfall in parts of Mendocino County closed a road in Hopland as the Russian River threatened to swell over a bridge.
Clear weather is forecast through the weekend.
