Community Corner
It's Going to Be a Wet and Windy Christmas
A third storm to hit the Bay Area and the Sierra made its entrance just in time for Christmas morning. A weather advisory was issued for the northern Sierra for Christmas Day.
The third storm to hit Northern California in as many days will bring heavy rain and wind to the Bay Area and more snow to the Sierras, according to KTVU.com.
Forecasters are predicting a rapid rise in the water levels of streams and creeks.
KTVU.com also reports that a state Highway Patrol helicopter crew was credited with the dramatic rescue of a 58-year-old motorist clinging to the roof of his pickup after his truck was stranded in rushing flood waters on a rural roadway in Livermore late Sunday. He was plucked from the truck by a paramedic on a CHP helicopter and treated for hypothermia at a hospital.
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The storms have also dumped fresh snow on the ski resorts at Lake Tahoe, including more than three feet at Squaw Valley, helping the resort reach its second-largest Christmas Day snowpack since 1970, said spokeswoman Amelia Richmond.
"The conditions are phenomenal, especially for those who like fresh snow," Richmond said Sunday. "It's an incredible setup (for the holidays), and we're looking forward to a very white Christmas."
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KTVU.com also reports that an avalanche at Donner Ski Ranch claimed the life of a 49-year-old snowboarder on Monday after he was buried in 2-3 feet of snow. An Alpine Meadows ski patroller was hospitalized on Monday after being buried in a slide that was intentionally set with an explosive device. He was uncovered within eight minutes.
"The charge triggered the avalanche, which broke much higher and wider on the slope than previously observed in past snow safety missions," Alpine Meadows said in a statement.
A winter weather advisory was issued for the northern Sierra for Christmas Day, the National Weather Service said.
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