NEVADA COUNTY, Calif. — This weekend’s forecasted storm has people preparing for flooding – because they’ve seen it recently and don't want a repeat of what happened last time.
“It was unexpected and unprepared for and a lot, all at once," said Mary Elizabeth, who lives in Nevada County, "and it looks like that’s what’s coming again.”
The Nevada County Office of Emergency Services says the so-called ‘bomb cyclone’ that hit Northern California in late October brought double-digit inches of rainfall to the area in just three days. That’s why county officials are telling people to stock up on sand bags now, ahead of this weekend’s storm.
That’s exactly what Mary Elizabeth, who did share her last name, decided to do Friday afternoon. She and a friend met at the Nevada County Warehouse on the corner of Highway 49 and East Broad Street – one of four locations where Nevada County is offering free sandbags. All people need to do is bring their own shovel.
“We have another deluge coming later in the week. The last one really flooded me out and we didn’t have the sandbags, so this is really a blessing,” Elizabeth said.
Elizabeth said her neighbor gave her the heads-up that the county is giving away free sandbags.
“We need to look after each other, and the county’s doing it with the sand and we really appreciate it,” Elizabeth said.
Nevada County is one of several counties or cities in the area offering sandbags to the people who live there. Citrus Heights, for example, has them available at city hall. See a complete list here.
For people traveling up U.S. 50 or I-80 for the weekend, Caltrans spokesperson Steve Nelson warns them to be prepared for a very long and snowy drive back on Sunday.
“If they’re heading back home on Sunday, they’re really going to be driving in the worst conditions for the storm, so with that we’re going to expect chain controls, possibly having to hold traffic, depending on spin-outs and things like that,” Nelson said, anticipating “significant delays for people trying to get back to Sacramento or the Bay Area Sunday afternoon.”
