As an atmospheric river storm system continues to pummel parts of the Golden State, the weather in Merced County has been tamer by comparison thus far.
Dan Harty, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Hanford, told The Merced FOCUS the city received less than an inch of rain through the weekend, with .59 inches reported at the Merced Regional Airport.
Close to an inch of rain was reported on the county’s westside near Los Banos. There were reports of downed trees damaging vehicles and property in Merced County, ABC 30 reported.
The most serious weather conditions thus far have been reported in the Central Coast and Southern California, where there have been concerns over potential mudslides and flooding.
Just east of Merced, parts of Madera County in the Coarsegold area remained under an evacuation warning on Monday following weekend storms, ABC 30 reported.
In Merced County, a flood watch is expected to remain in effect until Wednesday morning – but no warnings or advisories have been issued. “There’s a potential for flooding,” said Harty. “If we see something, we would issue an advisory or warning. There are no flooding concerns at the moment.”
High winds hit the city for about 20 minutes on Sunday, with speeds up to 54 mph recorded, according to Harty.
Merced County officials reported Sunday evening that around 20,000 residents were left without power after high winds resulted in damage to power lines and other energy infrastructure.
Power appeared to have been restored to most of those residents within 24 hours.
There is a possibility of thunderstorms in Merced County until Wednesday, with the weather expected to dry up by the end of the week.
During the current rainy season, which started in December, the Merced area received 5.93 inches of rain.
As of Monday afternoon, Bear Creek’s water level was just under 8 feet deep.
Merced County officials have warned residents to stay away from downed power lines and report them by calling 911 and then calling PG&E at 1-877-660-6789.
Christian De Jesus Betancourt is the bilingual communities reporter at The Merced FOCUS, a nonprofit newsroom covering the San Joaquin Valley.